What’s the Difference Between Coding and Computational Thinking? In my last EdSurge article, “Computer Science Goes Beyond Coding,” I wrote about the difference between coding and computer science, to help us understand what we mean by phrases like “Teach kids to code” and “Computer science for all.” In that article and in many other articles, there is another term that appears often: “Computational thinking.” Well, what is Computational Thinking (CT), and how does it differ from Coding and Computer Science—especially when it comes to classroom practice and instruction? What is Computational Thinking (CT)? My short definition: CT is a strategy that uses many of the powerful ideas in computer science to solve problems. Let’s get into a simple, but longer definition.
The Background on Computational Thinking Computational thinking was a term that became popular in 2006 with computer scientist Jeannette Wing’s article in Communications of the ACM, in which she called computational thinking a fundamental skill for all. Csprinciples.org. Advancing computational thinking in 21st century learning. Computational thinking in compulsory education: Towards an agenda for research and practice | SpringerLink. The concepts of Computational Thinking (CT) and the practice of programming are difficult to delineate in the literature because many CT studies or discussions of theory use programming as their context (Fletcher and Lu 2009; Hambrusch et al. 2009; Lee et al. 2011).
This can be confusing to the reader and often lead to the impression that CT is the same as programming or at the very least that CT requires the use of programming. To further add to this confusion, there is a history in both research and popular press of the use programming as a way to develop thinking skills. CT focuses on developing these thinking skills while within subjects beyond computer science. CT does not necessarily require the use of programming nor are CT scholars making the claim that programming has to be the context in which these skills are developed. Papert (1980) posited that students, through the creation of microworlds using the programming language LOGO, would develop into apprentice epistemologists. Computational thinking for all.
BarrStephensonInroadsArticle. CompThinking. c24924c5a707a196b2015494c829c15618d1. Shodor: Activities & Lessons. Computational Thinking Webquest Teacher Page. Overview The purpose of this WebQuest is to introduce prospective teachers to the concept of computational thinking, provide opportunities for them to do computational thinking, and encourage them to apply computational thinking in their own discipline and instructional practice. Learners and Content This WebQuest is designed for students in EDCI 27000, Introduction to Educational Technology and Computing, at Purdue University, but it is applicable to prospective and practicing teachers in any discipline.
The WebQuest addresses computational thinking, which may be conceptualized as a thinking skill or an approach to problem-solving that draws on concepts from computer science but is applicable to a wide variety of problems and disciplines. Teachers can encourage students to develop computational thinking skills through the integration of computational thinking activities into elementary and secondary education. Learning Environment Newby, T.
Standards Introduction What is a WebQuest? Task. Activities - Computer Science Unplugged. Teaching London Computing: A RESOURCE HUB from CAS LONDON | We are teaching london computing. Why codeSpark is Convinced Coding for Kids is Not a Fad. If you follow tech trends in education you probably have the sense that teaching children to code is kind of having a moment right now. Quest-based video game makers like Gamestar Mechanics have started to find their place among other subjects in teachers’ lesson plans. Non-profits like Code.org are pushing to get hundreds of millions of kids, especially girls, to get comfy with computer science, even enlisting President Obama. Conferences, training camps and studies are touting the potential of a generation of kids that feels as comfortable with a command line as they do with an iPad.
But is this an educational fad or actually an important skill for our children to have in their backpocket? Despite all the talk, data from the Bureau of Labor shows less than 3-percent of college students graduate with computer science degrees, and just 26 states allow computer science courses to count toward a high school diploma. Drag and drop. Grant Hosford: There’s two elements to that question. Can Scratch & Hour of Code Help Your Kid Learn Programming?
Coding for kids. Is it a fad, a trend or a movement? Whether or not it's here to stay (codeSpark thinks it is), it has definitely arrived. Code.org has led the charge, giving millions of people a chance to learn programming with the Hour of Code, and even getting President Obama to ask America to learn computer science and personally participate in an Hour of Code. But what does coding for kids actually mean? The benefits of these programs aren’t limited to the field of computer science – according to Bill Gates, “Learning to write programs stretches your mind, and helps you think better, creates a way of thinking about things that I think is helpful in all domains”. As the nephew of Dennis Ritchie, developer of the C programming language and co-creator (with Ken Thompson) of the UNIX operating system (and, don’t remind me, the brother of Sam Ritchie, featured for his own programming accomplishments at Twitter in Wired magazine) I’m thrilled with this progress.
Mark's Fresh Perspective. Kano World. Simulate FIRST LEGO League & WRO | Virtual Robotics Toolkit. Blockly Games. ThinkFun's Education Blog | Kids & Coding. Can Scratch & Hour of Code Help Your Kid Learn Programming? Gameblox. Trinket. Sigcse11 final. Computational Thinking Survey | STELAR - STEM Learning and Research Center.