What is Computational Thinking?

In short, Computational Thinking is a systematic way for students to learn complex problems. It uses the language,
logic, and constraints of computers to apply computational methods to problems.

Computational thinking teaches students to think like a Computational Thinking Elements

computer program so that whatever solution the student • Decomposition: breaking down a problem into a smaller,
is formulating can be designed efficiently. more manageable, hierarchy of problems.
• Abstraction: creating a logical representation of a
Many students find it hard to stay focused on the same task
problem and its physical, spatial, or temporal constraints.
for a long period of time. Computational thinking breaks
Once logically represented, it is possible to manipulate,
down a complex problem into smaller, more comprehensible
study, or interact with the constraints as well as the logical
tasks. It’s a highly interactive methodology where students
model representation of the problem.
learn by doing: gaining hands-on practice in building
• Algorithmic Representation: a step-by-step or
problem-solving applications. It also allows for immediate
procedural representation of the solution to a problem.
feedback, which allows students to link this feedback to the
• Pattern Recognition: This is the process of looking for
immediate task at hand (rather than after the fact, which is
similarities across sets of problems, or similarities within
often the case with more traditional forms of teaching).
the problem itself. Pattern Recognition can be applied to
Above all, computational thinking helps students to the solution as well.
recognize that some tasks that might seem very difficult at For computational thinking to become a fundamental
first are actually very doable. This is a vital life-skill that can academic discipline in the classroom, teachers must
increase both capabilities and confidence across a wide demonstrate an openness and excitement for its pillars—
range of disciplines. Computational thinking also emphasizes both in their teaching as well as their professional
collaboration and student-centered engagement. development—and teach in an engaging way that is relevant
to the experiences and interests of all students. Teacher and
students must also have access to the technology, resources
and tools that best support teaching and learning in the
foundational pillars of computational thinking.

Benefits of Computational Thinking

Computational Thinking is used extensively across most if not
all industries such as financial, genomics, energy, automotive,
space, and the arts. With Computational Thinking, students
develop higher- order thinking skills such as critical thinking,
analytical thinking, evaluation, and application. Also, students
learn to solve problems in creative and innovative ways.

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A Brief History of Computational and professors within the computer science and
Thinking academia worlds—and maintained that computational
While the phrase “computational thinking” is credited ideas should be integrated into other school subjects.
to computer science professor Jeannette Wing from a By stressing the educational value of informatics (a
2006 Association for Computing Machinery (“ACM”) branch of information engineering) for all learners,
essay, computational thinking itself goes back much Wing had built upon the principles and beliefs of
farther. various computer scientists before her.

The history of computational thinking as a concept Wing later evolved her definition of computational
dates back to the 1950s, while its specific components thinking to “the thought processes involved in
are older. Computational thinking is typically formulating problems and their solutions so that
considered an amalgamation of abstraction, data the solutions are represented in a form that can be
representation, and the logical organizing of data. effectively carried out by an information-processing
The phrase is predated by terms popularized by agent”.
computing pioneers Donald Knuth and Alan Perlis
It was also a case of the right place at the right time
such as algorithmizing, procedural thinking, and
in that STEM education was top of mind with many
computational literacy. In 1974, Knuth wrote: “A
schools and even political leaders wishing to push
person does not really understand something until
forward computer science objectives. Computational
he can teach it to a computer.” Perlis, likewise,
thinking became something of a rallying cry, with
maintained that programming should be integrated
organizations such as CSTA (Computer Science
into liberal higher education.
Teachers Association) establishing their own
Computational thinking was first referenced by computational thinking frameworks. CSTA’s framework,
mathematician Seymour Papert as “procedural for example, combining data organization and
thinking” in 1980—and again in 1996—while analysis, abstractions, and algorithmic thinking.
researching computer usage, claiming that
computational thinking helped define the relationship
between a problem and its solution. While working
at MIT (the Massachusetts Institute of Technology),
Papert worked to bring computational thinking into
K-12 education by helping to create a pedagogical
foundation.

Though the term was already known throughout

the computational science world, Jeannette Wing
introduced the phrase to a broader academic
audience in 2006. Wing’s description of computational
thinking was as a problem-solving tool that reduces Technologist brothers Stephen and Conrad Wolfram
problems to smaller parts, abstracts out some both wrote about computational thinking in 2016,
concerns, and chooses appropriate presentations. resulting in the launch of the Wolfram Computational
Thinking Initiative. The initiative offers programs
The essay positioned computational thinking as a and resources to improve computational thinking
fundamental skill for everyone—not simply scientists skills among students everywhere. Stephen Wolfram

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*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
presents computational thinking as a defining feature
of the future: “It’s an incredibly important thing to be
teaching to kids today.... Computational thinking is
going to be needed everywhere. And doing it well
is going to be a key to success in almost all future
careers.”

Technology has become a vital aspect of

our modern lives. And, to efficiently design,
program and control this technology, human-
computer interaction must therefore be as
efficient as possible.

And while computational thinking is not a new idea,

it is one that needs more attention and support—
both financially and philosophically—so that it can
successfully become an intrinsic part of the modern
classroom.

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Copyright © 2019 Clarity Innovations, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.