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CoolThink@JC: Fueling the engine of future innovation

Andy Li: “A spark in the education sector was followed by the Jockey Club’s foresight in launching the (CoolThink@JC) project.”

A few years ago, computational thinking was still a rather foreign concept, recalls Mr Andy Li, principal of Ling To Catholic Primary School. At that moment, Mr Li was a teacher of Chinese and computer science, interested in innovation and technology. At a teacher’s forum in the United States, he learned that one of the reasons the country is known for innovation is the emphasis it placed on students’ coding education and computational thinking.

The CoolThink@JC project has brought about a cultural change that has helped students take on and solve problems, says Mr Li.

Returning to Hong Kong inspired, he designed a coding course for his students, teaching it himself. What he did not expect was that The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust had also zoned in on the importance of computational thinking and coding education.

Since 2016, the CoolThink@JC project has been rolled out in selected upper primary schools across Hong Kong. Initiated and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the project was co-created by The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and City University of Hong Kong (CityU). EdUHK and MIT worked together to create a computational thinking education framework, while CityU ran workshops for teaching assistants and parents.

Mr Li was invited to join the CoolThink@JC’s organising committee and helped design the curriculum. Soon he was promoting the project in his school. “A spark in the education sector was followed by the Jockey Club’s foresight in launching the (CoolThink@JC) project,” Mr Li says. “An idea from the sector was taken to the next level to produce a very successful project. Without it, Hong Kong’s own talents would not be as competitive as they can be.” To date, CoolThink@JC has reached 131 network schools in Hong Kong.*

Mr Li explains that computational thinking is not just about learning to code – it is also about cultivating a “systematic and scientific approach to problem-solving” and inspiring digital creativity. He is delighted to see the progress that both students and teachers have made in the past few years. “Students no longer make directionless attempts when they run into a problem. Instead, they would map out the problem on paper, or even use algorithms to solve it.”

He has also observed similar changes in teachers. For instance, when face-to-face classes were suspended because of the pandemic, teachers in his school got together to list all the issues they faced, before reviewing how work processes could be streamlined and finding solutions systematically.

Mr Li says computational thinking is not just about learning coding. He believes it is also about cultivating a systematic and scientific approach to problem solving and inspiring digital creativity.
The CoolThink@JC project has brought about a cultural change that has helped students take on and solve problems, says Mr Li.
Mr Li is happy to see the journey of growth in both students and teachers as they receive computational training.

“Not everyone will become an inventor in future, but computational thinking is useful in all walks of life.”

These seemingly small changes are the result of computational thinking. “Through the CoolThink@JC project, the Club has brought about a change in culture in how we view and solve problems. Not everyone will become an inventor in future, but computational thinking is useful in all walks of life,” says Mr Li.

*Information updated to June 2022

Coding education and computational thinking in children is key to innovation in a city, says Mr Li. (Photo provided by interviewee)

Did you know?

Computational thinking is a key skill for the future. It trains students to think like computer scientists. Students are encouraged to use logic and problem-solving skills to dissect challenges and devise solutions.

CoolThink@JC promotes computational training by supporting students, teachers and schools. While mainstreaming the curriculum at primary schools, teachers’ professional development is also a core component of the project. Since 2016, the project has provided training to more than 810 in-service teachers and 200 pre-service teachers. In addition, experienced teachers from CoolThink@JC resource schools lead and assist other schools in implementing computational thinking education. They also open their CoolThink@JC lessons for other schools to observe and make progress together.

Information updated to June 2022

In 2016, the Club initiates the CoolThink@JC programme with the aim of equipping upper primary students with the basic coding capabilities to strengthen their computational thinking, as well as helping teachers master the necessary professional skills. (Photo provided by interviewee)
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