Talk:Computational Thinking





Comment by David Moursund 3/1/09
The following is quoted from an email message that I sent to a professional colleague on 3/1/09:


 * I just got back from an invited Computational Thinking workshop run by the National Academies and sponsored by the National Science Foundation. There are people in "high places" who are now pushing hard for (and funding) work to support the idea of Computational Thinking for everybody.


 * I found it interesting to listen to different definitions and ideas. We did not have "Joe, the plumber" at the meetings, but were sure talked a lot about "the garbage collection person." We should have given this person a name, to personalize the discussion.


 * Most of the people at the meeting were strongly computer science oriented. While some are also quite interested in education, "educators" were clearly underrepresented. Thus, for example, the group was weak in cognitive development and in transfer of learning.


 * As part of my write-up of the meetings, I produced the following list of activities that involve computational thinking and very little or no formal education about the topic:


 * Web searching; online reading, viewing, and listening to help solve problems posed by oneself or by others.
 * Taking, editing, storing, and sharing digital still and motion pictures.
 * Word processing and desktop publishing, with printing and electronic submission of documents. (Sometimes this includes use of an electronic slideshow presentation.)
 * Social networking, chat groups, and other forms of creating or adding to Web sites.
 * Email. Creating, maintaining, and using an electronic address book.
 * Cell phoning, instant messaging, and conference phone calling.
 * Storage and retrieval of music and video.
 * Computer gaming and computerized toys.
 * Use of ATM machines, credit and debit cards, online banking, online bill paying, and online purchasing.
 * Computer graphics.
 * GPS.
 * Computer-assisted learning.
 * Computer-assisted musical composition and performance.
 * Student response units (clickers).


 * Here are two things to notice about the above list:


 * The thinking involved in deciding to participate in and actually participating in the activities is a type of Computational Thinking. In each case, the participant is faced by some sort of problem or task, and decides to make use of Information and Communication Technology to help solve a problem or accomplish a task.
 * A very large number of people have learned to do quite a few of the listed things without the benefit of specific schooling in the various topics listed. Of course, many of the activities require use of reading, writing, and math.


 * So … Perhaps one of the basic questions is who really needs to know how to use a full blown computer in its full glory? How is our society benefited by forcing computers on people who have little interest or use?


 * The Workshop group spent some time talking about "literacies" such as reading, writing, and arithmetic (math). The group has moved well beyond the computer literacy era (which began in about 1972). There still seems to be quite a bit of thinking that some new programming language will solve the problem.


 * Six such languages got quite a bit of attention. Quoting from my document:


 * "Several of the presenters gave quite interesting examples of projects they have worked on or are working on that fit well into the overall rubric of Computational Thinking. For example, we saw some excellent examples of graphically oriented programming languages in which relatively young students have been able to do some amazing things. I thoroughly enjoyed the programming-oriented presentations of Andy diSessa (Boxer), Alan Kay (Squeak), Ken Kahn (ToonTalk), and Michael Resnick (Scratch). Seymour Papert and the programming language Logo were mentioned frequently. The programming language Alice was mentioned several times."


 * The point I was making is that we have some wonderful, powerful, graphically oriented programming languages for kids, but they have not make much difference in Computational Thinking for all. Quite a bit of the difficulty is that our current educational system is not producing very many teachers who can deal effectively with the levels of abstraction, modeling & simulation, exactness, testing, and debugging required is learning to make use of programming as an aid to representing and solving problems.


 * Dave (not the plumber, not the tow truck driver, not the trash collector).

Comment by David Moursund 3/16/08
If a person cannot read and write, we call that person illiterate. Reading and writing are powerful aids to thinking. We expect all of our student's teachers to be literate.

What should we call a person who is not "computational thinking" literate? In this day and age, why should such a person be allowed to teach our children?

Comment by M. Seay
Computational thinking is now becoming the norm of today. Computers are becoming more mainstream and as individuals it is very important that we learn to connect our thinking with that of the computer. Many have debated who was smarter the computer or the human, the answer, in my opinion is the human. Both forms of intelligences are becoming interdependent on the other. However, a computer cannot operate without a human, the creator of the machine. The jobs of today are even based upon learning how to make use of all computers have to offer. College students are beginning to major in courses such as information system management are becoming more popular as humans attempt to acquire all the information that they can about computers. Not only are people attempting to learn all they can about how to integrate technology into their lives, they are using computers in many different areas. While computers were once used to only as word processors they are now used in many areas of life. They are used in the music industry to make music without the use of instruments. One of the most important ways that computers are used and how they help me computate is in mathematics. In this arena they are using for the most basic tasks up to very complex tasks. While I enjoy the the alphabetical functions of computers, the numerical functions far surpass them. The numerical functional allow the computer to store complex formulas to be used with a combination of keystrokes. The more time we spend using computers, the more dependent we become upon them.