Exploring Computational Thinking with Roversa: Build, Customize, and Teach Through Play

As part of Cátedra Europa, an annual academic and cultural event organized by Universidad del Norte that serves as a bridge between the Colombian Caribbean and the international academic community, the 5th Ibero-American Seminar on Computational Thinking was held. The seminar featured a wide range of presentations, lectures, and workshops. Among them stood out the workshop titled “Exploring Computational Thinking with Roversa: Build, Customize, and Teach”, a practical and creative space that brought together participants from diverse disciplines to explore new ways of integrating computational thinking into education from the earliest levels.

The workshop was led by Paola Harris Bonet and Alejandro Espinal Duque, members of the Global Center for Equitable Computer Science Education, who introduced Roversa, a low-cost educational robot designed to promote the development of computational thinking in children through playful, creative, and hands-on experiences.​

A Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Experience
The session included students from various undergraduate programs and regions, as well as participants from the Design and Education programs at Universidad del Norte. This diversity of backgrounds enabled a truly interdisciplinary exercise in which design and pedagogy converged to create meaningful learning experiences.

Over the course of two hours, participants experienced the full process of building the robot—from assembling Roversa to customizing it with costumes and thematic settings. The activity was guided step by step through the identification of components, understanding the robot’s functioning, and conducting basic tests. Once assembled, each group brought their Roversa to life by incorporating elements of creativity, storytelling, and pedagogical exploration.

From Assembly to Imagination
Beyond the technical aspects, the workshop emphasized the pedagogical potential of Roversa as a tool to foster creativity, problem-solving, and collaborative work in the classroom. Participants reflected on the importance of introducing robotics and computational thinking from early childhood, laying the cognitive and creative foundations necessary for future learning in computer science and other disciplines.
During the customization phase, participants decorated and dressed their robots using a variety of materials—colored paper, textures, and markers—transforming each Roversa into a unique and versatile educational tool. This process sparked ideas on how robotics could be integrated into different subjects and narratives, demonstrating its adaptability in areas such as language, art, and science.
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​Toward a More Equitable and Creative Computer Science Education
The workshop concluded with a collective reflection on Roversa’s potential as a resource for inclusive and equitable learning. Both teachers and students shared strategies for adapting robot-based activities to different educational contexts, highlighting its accessibility and usefulness in settings with limited technological resources.

For facilitators Paola Harris Bonet and Alejandro Espinal Duque, this experience represented a concrete example of how creative design and educational technology can come together to make computational thinking more accessible, engaging, and meaningful for all learners.