Computational Thinking:: A Digital Age Skill For Everyone
Computational Thinking:: A Digital Age Skill For Everyone
A
group of high school students proposed revisions and refinements
cluster around a computer to Wing’s original description, so
looking at a series of graphs far no single, widely accepted defini-
and charts on the screen and talking tion of computational thinking has
quietly but intently. They are col- emerged. As a result, PK–12 educa-
laborating with a group of students in tors who recognize the importance
South America using Skype. Together of CT and want to help students ac-
they have gathered data and created quire these skills have lacked a clear
a model depicting the rate of defores- and practical definition to guide
tation of the rain forests around the their work.
world. Today they are discussing the
changes they need to make to their How Can We Make CT Accessible?
data representation and algorithm In 2009, the National Science Foun-
before running their simulation. dation (NSF) funded a project titled
These students are engaged in what Leveraging Thought Leadership for
is called computational thinking. Computational Thinking in PK–12.
Led jointly by ISTE and the Com-
What Is Computational Thinking? puter Science Teachers Association
In a seminal article published in 2006, (CSTA), the project is intended to
Jeanette Wing described computa- make the concepts of computational
tional thinking (CT) as a way of “solv- thinking accessible to educators by
ing problems, designing systems, and providing an operational definition,
understanding human behavior by a shared vocabulary, and relevant,
drawing on the concepts fundamental age-appropriate examples of com-
to computer science.” She noted that putational thinking tied to current
computational thinking involves some educational objectives and classroom
familiar concepts, such as problem practices.
decomposition, data representation, A year ago, the project convened a di-
and modeling, as well as less familiar verse group of educators with an interest
ideas, such as binary search, recur- in CT from higher education, PK–12,
sion, and parallelization. She also and industry to help define a common
argued that “computational thinking language surrounding computational
is a fundamental skill for everyone, thinking, articulate the challenges and
not just for computer scientists. To opportunities of integrating it through-
reading, writing, and arithmetic, we out PK–12 education, and identify the
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Copyright © 2011, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), iste@iste.org, www.iste.org. All rights reserved.
20 Learning & Leading with Technology | March/April 2011
Skill for Everyone Computational thinking is a problem-
solving process that includes:
• Formulating problems in a way that
enables us to use a computer and
other tools to help solve them
• Logically organizing and analyzing
data
• Representing data through abstrac-
tions, such as models and simulations
• Automating solutions through algo-
rithmic thinking (a series of ordered
steps)
• Identifying, analyzing, and imple-
menting possible solutions with the
goal of achieving the most efficient
and effective combination of steps
and resources
• Generalizing and transferring this
problem-solving process to a wide
variety of problems
These skills are supported and en-
hanced by a number of dispositions or
attitudes that are essential dimensions
of CT, including:
• Confidence in dealing with complexity
• Persistence in working with
difficult problems
• Tolerance for ambiguity
• The ability to deal with open-
ended problems
• The ability to communicate and
work with others to achieve a
common goal or solution
More than 82% of the 697 respon-
dents agreed or strongly agreed that
this definition captured the essential
elements of CT. An additional 9%
confirmed that the definition would
do as a means to build consensus in
the PK–12 community. On the basis
Learn More of this survey and feedback from
To learn more about how to teach the concepts and vocabulary of computational educators gathered through confer-
thinking in PK–12 classrooms, please visit iste.org/computational-thinking or the ence presentations and other infor-
CSTA website at http://csta.acm.org. Check back in a few months to find curriculm mal data collection, project leaders
resources, vocabulary tools, and a toolkit for leaders. have begun implementing the next
phase of the project, which involves
Copyright © 2011, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), iste@iste.org, www.iste.org. All rights reserved.
March/April 2011 | Learning & Leading with Technology 21
developing examples of what CT How Is CT Different? This question has given rise to much
skills look like in the classroom as Many of the concepts, skills, and dispo- debate but, as yet, no widely accepted
well as assembling resources to sup- sitions listed in this operational defini- consensus. The participants in the
port and guide the implementation tion are not new. So how is computa- workshops sponsored by the ISTE/
of computational thinking concepts tional thinking different from critical CSTA project proposed that CT differs
in PK–12 education. thinking or mathematical thinking? from critical thinking and mathemati-
cal thinking because:
thinking concepts of representing over the diagrams, you hear a and implementing possible ability to communicate and work
data through abstractions, such conversation among the students solutions. Additionally, they are with others to achieve a common
as models and simulation, and describing how the diagrams are experiencing the CT disposition goal or solution facilitates active
logically organizing and analyzing an abstraction of the actual rooms of persistence in working with participation in class discussions,
data. They are also exploring in a home or school building that difficult problems. especially those guided by a
ways of transferring these skills to enables them to represent all the seminar question. As the students
other contexts. possible escape routes. reflect on their unit and the skills
The students are that enable them to be effective
preparing to create an writers, they begin making
algorithm to calculate connections between the skills
the safest and fastest they are using in language arts
routes from the and their application to other
buildings. subject areas.
Copyright © 2011, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), iste@iste.org, www.iste.org. All rights reserved.
22 Learning & Leading with Technology | March/April 2011
• It is a unique combination of think- how, when, and where computers and David Barr is a retired K–12
ing skills that, when used together, other digital tools can help us solve teacher and administrator who
problems, and we all need to know works as an educational tech-
provide the basis of a new and pow-
nology consultant. He serves
erful form of problem solving. how to communicate with others who on the ISTE NETS Leadership
• It is more tool oriented. can assist us with computer-supported Team and the steering com-
• It makes use of familiar problem- solutions. mittee of the NSF/ISTE/CSTA
solving skills such as trial and Students already learn many ele- Computational Thinking project.
error, iteration, and even guessing ments of the set of computational John Harrison has taught math-
in contexts where they were previ- thinking skills in a variety of disci- ematics and computer science at
ously impractical but which are now plines, but we need to ensure that all Princess Anne High School in
possible because they can be auto- students have the opportunity to learn Virginia Beach, Virginia, since
1999. He sits on the Computer
mated and implemented at much the complete set of skills so their com- Science Teachers Association
higher speeds. bined power is available to them. The board and chairs its communi-
NSF/ISTE/CSTA project has explored cations committee.
Why Is CT Important? how students learn computational
Leslie Conery is deputy CEO of
The application of computer technolo- thinking at all grade levels and in all ISTE. She holds an assortment
gy to virtually every field of study has disciplines. The long-term goal is to of degrees and certifications in
changed the way work is done today. recommend ways that all students computer science, education, and
While the human mind is by far the have the opportunity to learn these association management. She
has also been a classroom teacher
most powerful problem-solving tool skills and to ensure that they can be
at the elementary and high school
we have, the ability to extend the pow- transferred to different problems and levels and a professional development specialist.
er of human thought with computers used in different contexts.
and other digital tools has become an
essential part of our everyday lives This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation
and work. We all need to understand grant CNS-1030054.
Integrating
21st Century Skills
Through
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Copyright © 2011, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 1.800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 1.541.302.3777 (Int’l), iste@iste.org, www.iste.org. All rights reserved.
March/April 2011 | Learning & Leading with Technology 23