Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: CLARA REGINA DA SILVA IGNÁCIO

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : CLARA REGINA DA SILVA IGNÁCIO
DATE: 20/08/2025
TIME: 10:00
LOCAL: Sala de Webconferência
TITLE:

Creative Computing: Using Creative Learning and Block Programming as a Strategy to Encourage Elementary School Girls' Interest in Computing

KEY WORDS:

Block programming, Scratch, Elementary education, Creative learning, Gender equity.

PAGES: 84
BIG AREA: Outra
AREA: Multidisciplinar
SUMMARY:

Nowadays, it's clear that there's a structural limitation that hinders women's advancement in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) careers. Although significant efforts are being made to overcome these barriers, female participation in these fields remains limited. In the historically male-dominated field of Computer Science, female representation remains low. According to data collected by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), only 20% of professionals working in Computer Science are women. Despite this challenging scenario, there is historical evidence highlighting women's significant contributions to technological fields. History demonstrates that women have the potential to innovate in science and technology, even in challenging contexts. However, to promote greater female representation in these fields, it's necessary to implement actions that stimulate girls' interest from basic education onward, with pedagogical strategies that foster the development of technological skills. In this context, this work, based on the Design Science Research approach, presents a pilot study conducted at the Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre Campus, with elementary school students from a public school in the metropolitan region of PoA. The initiative sought to investigate the possibility of increasing girls' interest in digital technologies and future careers in technology through the "Creative Computing" course. The course, which will be re-administered in 2025 with a new group of participants, will aim to provide a creative learning environment using Scratch, exploring playful pedagogical alternatives that encourage programming instruction and authorship in digital productions. The course was based on the principles of creative learning theory, with the perspective that pedagogical environments can contribute to reducing gender inequality in computing and fostering female empowerment. Data collection included photographic records, notes taken during discussion groups, observations of laboratory activities, hands-on activities, and interactions with Scratch. The analysis and categorization of the collected data will be conducted according to the principles of content analysis. The results of this research are expected to contribute to the creation of educational solutions that reduce girls' insecurities regarding computing, foster a broader reflection on the role of schools in promoting access to and mastery of technologies, and encourage future generations of women to consider training and careers in technology. It is also hoped that the knowledge generated can be shared with the academic community, aiming to encourage practices that promote gender equity in various fields of knowledge, especially in Computer Science.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - SILVIA DE CASTRO BERTAGNOLLI
Interna - MARCIA HAFELE ISLABAO FRANCO
Externa ao Programa - CINTIA MUSSI ALVIM STOCCHERO
Externo à Instituição - CARLOS TADEU QUEIROZ DE MORAIS - UNINI