Author of computational thinking
J. Wing
What is computational thinking
How is CT integrated into the K-12 curriculum?
by learning ABOUT and WITH the Technology
J. Wing’s vision on CT
CT will be a fundamental skill used by everyone in the world.
Computational thinker concepts
Computational thinker approaches
Digital Promise organization (digitalpromise.org): In a broader context, CT skills include:
One possible way Computational Thinking can be operationalized in K-12 is
through the teaching of Computer Science (CS).
Definition of operationalization
is the process of defining a fuzzy concept (CT) so as to make it clearly distinguishable or measurable, and to understand it in terms of empirical observations.
operational definition is
a description of something in terms of the operations (procedures, actions, or processes) by which it could be observed and measured.
Operational definition of CT
What type of theory does CT support
The constructionist theory
Coding misconceptions
Which province added computer coding to school curriculum?
B.C
What is Canada’s CanCode initiative
Who wrote: Computational thinking: A competency whose time has come
Grover, S., & Pea, R.
CT definiton according to Grover and Pea
What is logical thinking and an example
Logical thinking involves analysing situations to make a decision or reach a conclusion about a situation. An everyday example of logical and analytical thinking might involve analysing whether it is worthwhile going to Shop A to buy a dress for $30 or Shop B where it’s available for $20
What is algorithmic thinking and an example
Algorithms are precise step-by-step plans or procedures to meet an end goal or to solve a problem; algorithmic thinking is the skill involved in developing an algorithm. Cooking recipes are a common everyday example of algorithms. Algorithms that students encounter in the context of K-12 CT learning involve three basic building blocks – sequence, selection and repetition
What is pattern recognition and an example
Computational thinking includes these ideas of pattern recognition and extends the idea to problem-solving settings. Pattern recognition in CT could lead to the definition of a generalizable solution (which also has overlaps in maths) that can leverage automation in computing for dealing with a generic situation, for example any Step n of a series no matter how large n gets.
What is abstraction and an example
abstraction is ‘information hiding’. The act of ‘black-box’-ing details allows one to focus only on the input and output. In this sense, then, abstraction provides a way of simplifying and managing complexity. It is also the ability to generalize based on similarities and differences. CT involves knowing the right types of abstractions to create and use in a computation solution.
What is evaluation
Evaluation goes hand-in-hand with several of the elements of CT described above. Solutions to problems in the form of algorithms or abstractions in the form of programs, models or simulations must be evaluated for correctness and appropriateness based on the goal as well as constraints
What is automation
At the K-12 level, even though the end goal of applying CT is not always a computational solution implemented on a machine, it is important for learners to develop an understanding of when automation is the answer to the problem – what aspects of problems are better solved by humans and which are better solved by the machines.
What is problem decomposition
Breaking a problem down into smaller sub-problems makes the problem more tractable and the problem-solving process more manageable.