Computational Thinking (CT) is considered a universal 21st century competence, aimed at fostering students’ analytical and critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving and scientific literacy practices. These skills are crucial to learning and democratic participation in society. CT has recently acquired a more prominent status through inclusion in compulsory schooling in several countries including the Nordic countries. Norway introduced CT the national curriculum in 2020.

MASCOT (Mathematics, Science and Educational Thinking) will develop knowledge about teaching, learning and assessment processes of Computational Thinking (CT) in Nordic teacher education and schools. MASCOT focuses primarily on CT in Mathematics and Science. MASCOT will use the knowledge gained to develop new educational practices and means of assessment in close collaboration with schools. 

MASCOT is organised as a research-practice partnership, focussing on long-term collaborations between teachers, students and researchers. Through this collaboration MASCOT aims to link teaching, learning and assessing CT in teacher education and in school practices. The overall research approach in MASCOT is design-based research. MASCOT intervenes directly in teacher education programmes as well as schools across the participating Nordic institutions, emphasizing collaboration between the project partners to gain insight from each other. 

MASCOT is a collaborative interdisciplinary research project which brings together a consortium of experts from leading Nordic teacher education institutions in Norway, Finland and Denmark and involves 5 partner schools in Norway and Finland.

MASCOT is funded by the Norwegian Research Council