Informatics is COOL: Cooperative and computer-assisted open learning

Abstract

Informatics is COOL -- as a subject and as a tool. In this paper COOL refers to three different aspects of learning: First of all, COOL stands for "cool" in the sense of interesting, motivating or fun, topics that students like to learn and methods that enhance learning, e.g. brain-based teaching. Furthermore, COOL can be the abbreviation of COoperative Open Learning, an Austrian teaching model based on the Dalton-Plan or COmputer-assisted Open Learning. This paper first describes all three forms of COOL learning and gives examples for COOL Informatics lessons. The evaluation results of two pilot projects, one in a primary school and one in a university programming course at our university, suggest that COOL is worth being implemented and refined in all levels of school and university.