A major focus of our work both research and practice has been around unplugged computing: teaching computer science concepts away from computers.

Publications

Paul Curzon and Peter W. McOwan (2017) The Power of Computational Thinking, World Scientific. DOI: 10.1142/q0054

Paul Curzon and Peter W. McOwan (2023) Conjuring with Computation, World Scientific.

Curzon. P. and Waite. J. (2024) The LCT Magic Show: Improving classroom practice using Semantics. Plenary presented at LCT5 Fifth International Legitimation Code Theory Conference, January. Johannesburg, South Africa

Curzon. P. and Waite. J. (2024) Autonomy analysis of cross-curricular teaching: Turning LCT into pedagogy. Plenary presented at LCT5 Fifth International Legitimation Code Theory Conference, January. Johannesburg, South Africa

Curzon, P., Waite, J., Maton, K. & Donohue, J. (2020) Using semantic waves to analyse the effectiveness of unplugged computing activities, WiPSCE – The 15th Workshop in Primary and Secondary Computing Education, Online Conference, Oct.

Curzon, P., Waite, J. & Maton, K. (2020) Semantic waves: Analysing the effectiveness of computing activities, Cambridge Computing Education Research Symposium, Online, Conference presentation, UK, April.

Paul Curzon, Tim Bell, Jane Waite and Mark Dorling (2019) Computational thinking, Chapter 17 of The Cambridge Handbook of Computing Education Research, Cambridge Handbooks, Edited by Sally A. Fincher and Anthony V. Robins,  February. Cambridge University Press. DOI: 10.1017/9781108654555

Waite, J., Maton, K., Curzon, P. & Tuttiett, L. (2019) Unplugged computing and semantic waves: analysing crazy characters, Proceeding of UKICER – The UK and Ireland Computing Education Research Conference, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK, September.

Paul Curzon, Peter McOwan, James Donohue, Seymour Wright and William Marsh (2018) Teaching of concepts, Chapter 6 of Computer Science Education: Perspectives on Teaching and Learning in School, edited by Sue Sentance, Erik Barendsen, Carsten Schulte, Bloomsbury Academic.

Paul Curzon and Peter W. McOwan (2017) Magicians, Chapter 6 of Teaching Computing Unplugged in Primary Schools, Helen Caldwell and Neil Smith (eds) Sage. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/teaching-computing-unplugged-in-primary-schools/book250148

Jane Waite  (2017) Cooks, Chapter 8 of Teaching Computing Unplugged in Primary Schools, Helen Caldwell and Neil Smith (eds) Sage. https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/teaching-computing-unplugged-in-primary-schools/book250148

Jane Waite, Paul Curzon, William Marsh, Sue Sentance (2016) Abstraction and common classroom activities, In WiPSCE ’16: Proceedings of the 11th Workshop in Primary and Secondary Computing Education, pp112-113, October, ACM. DOI: 10.1145/2978249.2978272

Berry, M., Woolard, Ross, Z., Waite, J., and Chippindall, J., 2015. Barefoot computing resources. Available at: http://barefootcas.org.uk/.

Curzon, Paul, Dorling, Mark, Ng, Thomas, Selby, Cynthia and Woollard, John (2014) Developing computational thinking in the classroom: a framework. Computing At School. UK. Available from https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/369594

Myketiak C, Curzon P, Black J, McOwan PW and Meagher LR (2012) cs4fn: a flexible model for computer science outreach, ITiCSE ’12 Proceedings of the 17th ACM annual conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education. pp 297-302. DOI: 10.1145/2325296.2325366

Bell, T., Curzon, P., Cutts^, Q,. Dagiene, V. & Haberman, B.,(2011) “Introducing Students to Computer Science With Programmes That Don’t Emphasise Programming”, Proceedings of ITiCSE 2011, The 16th Annual ACM SIGCSE Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, p391, Darmstadt, Germany, June 2011. ACM Press, DOI 10.1145/1999747.1999904

Curzon, P., McOwan, P.W., Cutts, Q. and Bell, T. (2009) “Enthusing & inspiring with reusable kinaesthetic activities”, ITiCSE 2009, The 14th Annual ACM SIGCSE Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, pp94-98, July 6-9, Paris, France. DOI: 10.1145/1562877.1562911

Curzon, P., Peckham, J., Taylor, H., Settle, A. and Roberts, E. (2009) “Computational Thinking (CT): on weaving it in”, ITiCSE 2009, The 14th Annual ACM SIGCSE Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, pp201-202. July 6-9, Paris, France, ACM Press. DOI: 10.1145/1562877.1562941

Curzon, P., Black, J., Meagher, L.R., McOwan, P.W. (2009) “cs4fn.org: Enthusing students about Computer Science”, Proceedings of Informatics Education Europe IV, Christoph Hermann, Tobias Lauer, Thomas Ottmann and Martina Welte (Eds.), pp73-80, Freiburg, Germany, November.

Curzon, P. & McOwan, P.W. (2008) “Engaging with Computer Science through Magic Shows”, ITiCSE 2008, The 13th ACM SIGCSE Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, pp179-183. June 30-July 2, Madrid, Spain. DOI: 10.1145/1384271.1384320

Paul Curzon (2014) Unplugged computational thinking for fun, KEYCIT- Key Competencies in Informatics and ICT, July 1-4, 2014
 Potsdam,  Germany (Invited Keynote), Edited by Torsten Brinda, Nicholas Reynolds, Ralf Romeike, pp 7-15. http://www.informatikdidaktik.de/ifip2014/proceedings/

Paul Curzon (2013) cs4fn and computational thinking unplugged, Invited keynote. In Proceedings of the 8th Workshop in Primary and Secondary Computing Education (WIPSCE). Denmark, Edited by Michael E. Caspersen, Maria Knobelsdorf and Ralf Romeike. pp 47-50, November. ACM

Paul Curzon, Peter W McOwan (2013) Teaching formal methods using magic tricks. Fun with Formal Methods: Workshop at the 25th International Conference on Computer Aided Verification

Curzon, P., (2012) “Serious Fun with Interdisciplinary Computer Science”, Keynote at the STEM interdisciplinary education workshop, Society for Design & Process Science Conference Berlin.

Curzon, P., McOwan P.W., and Black J. (2009) “The magic of HCI: Enthusing kids in playful ways to help solve the Computer Science recruitment problem”. Invited Keynote at HCI Educators 2009 – Playing with our Education, Dundee, April 2009.

Curzon, P. (2007) “Serious Fun in Computer Science”, September. Invited Keynote at the 12th Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, organised by the ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE), DOI: 10.1145/1268784.1268785

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