The CAL-HC Framework: Integrating Computational Literacy, Emotional Learning, and Inclusion in Hospital Classrooms

Abstract

Hospital classrooms represent complex educational environments characterized by high variability, emotional sensitivity, and diverse learner needs. Despite increasing interest in integrating computational thinking and digital technologies in education, there remains a lack of conceptual frameworks that address the specific pedagogical and contextual constraints of hospital education. This paper proposes the CAL-HC (Coding as Another Language for Hospital Classrooms) framework, a human-centered model that integrates computational literacy, emotional learning, inclusive education, and contextual adaptation. The framework extends the Coding as Another Language (CAL) approach by positioning programming as a form of expression and meaning-making, while incorporating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and coeducational perspectives to support equitable participation. The framework is illustrated through its application in a hospital classroom in Lanzarote (Spain), using a narrative-based learning design that combines unplugged activities, ScratchJr programming, and educational robotics. The study follows a practice- based research approach, drawing on teacher observations, student artifacts, and video-based reflection to analyze how the framework supports engagement, emotional expression, inclusion, and adaptability. Findings suggest that framing computational literacy as an expressive and human-centered practice enables meaningful participation in constrained educational environments. Beyond hospital classrooms, the framework may inform the design of human-centered computational learning experiences in other educational contexts characterized by vulnerability, discontinuity, or high learner variability.