Goa SCERT hosts successful 2nd Regional Computational Thinking in Schools (CTiS) Conference

Goa Khabar : The Goa State Council of Educational Research and Training (GSCERT) successfully hosted its 2nd Regional Computational Thinking in Schools (CTiS) Conference today  in collaboration with ACM India and the CSpathshala community, bringing together educators, researchers, and stakeholders to explore the latest innovations and best practices in computational thinking education. The conference saw a total of 70 attendees.

The conference featured a diverse program, including a keynote address, 15 presentations across various themes, and a highly engaging panel discussion on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education.

The presenters were teachers from diverse subjects such as Art, Social Science, Maths, and Language, demonstrating how the concepts of Computational Thinking (CT) are effectively implemented in their classrooms.

The conference was graced by the presence of key figures in education and computational thinking, including:

• Ms Meghana Shetgaonkar, Director, GSCERT
• Prof. Janarthanam Malapathi, Chairman, Goa State Research Foundation
• Ms Sonia Garcha, Steering Committee Chair, CTiS
• Dr. V.V.Kamat, ACM Goa Professional Chapter, Programme Committee Co-Chair, CTiS Goa
• Ms Vandana Naik, Programme Committee Co-Chair, CTiS Goa
• Dr Manoj Ibrampurkar, Associate Professor, GSRF Goa and Mentor and Jury Member for CTIS 2025
• Vidyut Navelkar, Ex TCS, Jury member for CTIS 2025

The abstract selection jury comprised Dr. V.V. Kamat, Manoj Ibrampurkar and Vidyut Navelkar. The selected teachers will present at the Seventh conference on Computational Thinking in Schools (CTiS2025) from 24th to 26th July, 2025 at IISER, Pune

The panel discussion on AI and education sparked lively debate and insightful questions from various perspectives, including ethics, assessment, and practical tools that can be used by teachers and schools. Panelists and attendees alike agreed on the transformative potential of AI in education and the importance of embracing its use to enhance teaching and learning.

Prof. Janarthanam Malapathi, Chairman of GSRF, emphasized this point, stating that “AI, just like any other technology tool, has its plus and minus sides to it and should not deter us from using this powerful tool to its maximum potential.”