Computational Thinking (CT)

Ignatius Harjanto
 Reflection
1. Is CT important to my life?
2. Why is CT important to my life?
3. What do I already know about CT?
4. What do I want to know about CT?
 What is computational thinking?
(a review)

• What real life problem do you have?

• How do you usually solve the problem?
• Is it effective?

Computational thinking allows us to take a complex problem, understand

what the problem is and develop possible solutions. We can then present
these solutions in a way that a computer, a human, or both, can
understand.
 Contextual Demonstration
• Present the results of exploration
• The groups which don’t present the results of the discussion must
give feedback. The feedbacks must be written on the feedback format
by a note taker.
 Reflection
v Self-reflection:
• “What did I know?”
• ”What am I learning?”
• “What do I want to learn?”
 The four cornerstones of computational thinking
(https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zp92mp3/revision/1)

• abstraction – focusing on the important information only, ignoring

irrelevant detail
• algorithms - developing a step-by-step solution to the problem, or the
rules to follow to solve the problem.
• decomposition - breaking down a complex problem or system into
smaller, more manageable parts
• pattern recognition – looking for similarities among and within problems
Abstraction
 Abstraction
• Taking a step back from the specific details of a given problem allows you to
create a more generic solution. This requires analyzing the problem to
remove extra detail and highlight the basic parts. Once completed, begin
brainstorming a solution to the problem.
• Real-world Examples: Public transportation maps are examples of
abstraction that you may encounter often. The maps show only the
important information (the stops, the general direction that you are
heading) and leave out the finer details.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

 Abstraction
• Real-world Examples:
• You can drive a car without knowing how the
internal combustion engine works.
• You can walk to the shops without knowing how
your brain stem is controlling your walking or
breathing rate.
• You can pay for your groceries using our universal
abstraction of ‘value’: money.
• In all of these situations, the overwhelming
complexity is hidden from view so that we can
actually get something done.
Algorithms
 Algorithm
• Real-world Example: consider a simple activity like brushing
your teeth. At first it sounds like a simple enough task, but in
fact, brushing your teeth involves many simple steps.
1. First, you’ll need a toothbrush and toothpaste.
2. You’ll need a sink with cold water.
3. You’ll need to put the toothpaste on the brush.
4. Don’t forget to turn on the water and run your brush
underneath.
5. As you see, such a simple activity actually involves many
steps, if you miss one step or put one out of order you
might end up with a huge mess!
 Algorithm
• When solving a problem, it is important to create
a plan for your solution. Algorithms are a strategy
that can be used to determine the step-by-step
instructions on how to solve the problem.
Algorithms can be written in plain language, with
flowcharts, or pseudocode.
• Real-world Examples: We use algorithms daily,
normally in the form of step-by-step instructions.
Recipes, instructions for making furniture or
building blocks sets, plays in sports, and online
map directions are all examples of algorithms.

This Photo by Unknown Author is

licensed under CC BY-SA-NC
Decomposition
 Decomposition
• Breaking down problems into smaller parts can
make complicated challenges more manageable.
This enables other computational thinking
elements to be applied more effectively to
complex challenges. The solutions to the smaller
problems are then combined to solve the original,
larger problem.
• Real-world Examples: For instance, when you
clean your room, you may put together a to-do
list. Identifying the individual tasks (making your
bed, hanging up your clothes, etc.) allows you to
see the smaller steps before you start cleaning.
 Decomposition: real-world
examples
• Cleaning a room. Instead of facing the task as a
whole, break the task into a to-do list with multiple
subtasks.
• Building shelves for a storage space, create a
blueprint or plan to determine the size of the
shelves and the materials needed to accomplish the
task. The next step is purchasing the supplies and
cutting the lumber to size, then install one wall of
shelves at a time.
• Proving a hypothesis, create subtasks including
background research, observation, generating a
hypothesis, determining which variables to test,
performing experiments and drawing a conclusion.
Application of Decomposition
• Several steps that need to be taken in implementing Decomposition:
• Analyze the main problem: at this stage we need to identify the main problem and
understand the problem.
• Breaking down and labeling the parts of the problem: at this stage, after we understand
the main problem, we can start breaking down the problem into smaller parts and
labeling the parts that have been broken down.
• Analyze the relationship between parts of the problem and the priority of working on the
problem: at this stage, after we have labeled the small parts of the problem, we need to
understand the relationship between parts of the problem and understand the order of
working on the problem.
• Re-analyze: ensure that the parts of the problem that have been broken down can still be
broken down into smaller problems or not. After we find the relationship between parts
of the problem, we can use the decomposition technique on the parts of the problem
that have been broken down so that the problem becomes easier to solve.
Pattern Recognition
 Pattern Recognition
• Examining the problem for patterns, or similarities
to previously solved problems, can simplify the
solution. Pattern recognition can lead to grouping,
organizing, or streamlining problems for more
efficient outcomes. Conversely, a lack of patterns
is also useful because it means there is no more
simplification to be done.
• Real-world Examples: You have likely used pattern
recognition in games like UNO, checkers, mancala
and SET. Sports like football and basketball also
use pattern recognition to identify the opponent’s
strategy.
 Pattern Recognition
• In literature, pattern recognition can help students identify
recurring themes, symbols, and motifs. For example, in “To Kill a
Mockingbird,” students can recognize the recurring motif of the
mockingbird, which symbolizes innocence and the dangers of
prejudice. In addition, educators lead class discussions about
themes and symbols in literature, encouraging students to identify
patterns and make connections.
• In math. Students are encouraged to identify patterns in numbers
and math problems, such as “doubling” (multiplying by 2),
“halving” (dividing by 2), or “squaring” (multiplying a number by
itself). Teachers also create practice problems with different
patterns, such as “What comes next in the sequence: 2, 4, 8, 16,
___?” that help students recognize patterns and develop their
problem-solving skills.
 COMPUTATIONAL THINKING
• Each cornerstone is as
important as the others.
• They are like legs on a table - if
one leg is missing, the table will
probably collapse.
 CT in Practice
• A complex problem is one that, at first glance, we don't know how to
solve easily.
• Computational thinking involves taking that complex problem and
breaking it down into a series of small, more manageable problems
(decomposition). Each of these smaller problems can then be looked at
individually, considering how similar problems have been solved
previously (pattern recognition) and focusing only on the important
details, while ignoring irrelevant information (abstraction). Next, simple
steps or rules to solve each of the smaller problems can be designed
(algorithms).
• Finally, these simple steps or rules are used to program a computer to
help solve the complex problem in the best way.
 Example of CT in everyday life
• The problem: (1)
• If you agree to meet your friends somewhere you have never been before,
you would probably plan your route before you step out of your house. You
might consider the routes available and which route is ‘best’ - this might be
the route that is the shortest, the quickest, or the one which goes past your
favourite shop on the way. You'd then follow the step-by-step directions to
get there. In this case, the planning part is like computational
thinking, and following the directions is like programming.
 Example of CT in everyday life
• The problem: (1)
• If you agree to meet your friends somewhere you have never been before,
you would probably plan your route before you step out of your house. You
might consider the routes available and which route is ‘best’ - this might be
the route that is the shortest, the quickest, or the one which goes past your
favourite shop on the way. You'd then follow the step-by-step directions to
get there. In this case, the planning part is like computational
thinking, and following the directions is like programming.
 Example of CT in everyday life
• Automating Repetitive Tasks: A data analyst at a technology company uses
computational thinking to automate the repetitive task of cleaning and
organizing large data sets. By breaking the task down into simple steps and
writing scripts in a programming language, the analyst can save hours of
manual work each week.
• Optimizing Resource Allocation: A logistics manager at a shipping
company uses computational thinking to optimize the allocation of trucks
for shipments. By abstracting the problem and using computational tools,
the manager can find the most efficient routes, reducing fuel costs and
shipping times.
 Example of CT in everyday life
• Improving Customer Service: A customer service manager at a retail
company used computational thinking to improve the company’s response
time to customer inquiries. By analyzing customer complaint patterns and
creating an algorithm to prioritize responses, the company was able to
improve its customer satisfaction rating.
• Improving Product Design: A product designer at a software company
used computational thinking to improve the design of a new application.
By using logical reasoning to understand user needs and preferences, the
designer was able to create a more user-friendly interface.
 Example of CT in everyday life
• Predicting Market Trends: A financial analyst at an investment firm uses
computational thinking to predict market trends. By using computational tools
to analyze historical data and identify patterns, analysts can make more accurate
predictions about future market movements.
• Engineering: Engineers apply computational thinking to design systems, analyze
structural integrity, and optimize processes.
• Business and Data Analytics: In the business world, computational thinking is
used for data analysis, market research, and process optimization.
• Healthcare: It plays a role in medical research, disease modeling, and improving
healthcare processes.
• Education: Computational thinking is integrated into educational curricula to
improve problem-solving skills across subject areas.
• Everyday Life: Individuals use computational thinking when planning daily
routines, solving puzzles, making decisions, and solving problems, even if they
don’t realize it.
 Conclusion
• In short, CT is not just an abstract concept; it is a set of problem-solving
skills and techniques that directly translate to the real world.
• These skills empower individuals to navigate, understand, and overcome
the increasingly complex challenges they face in their personal and
professional lives, making them more adaptable, creative, and effective
problem solvers.