Computational Thinking

Computational Thinking (CT) is a problem solving process that includes a number of characteristics and dispositions. CT is essential to the development of computer applications, but it can also be used to support problem solving across all disciplines, including the humanities, math, and science. (Google, Computational Thinking for Educators, 2015) https://computationalthinkingcourse.withgoogle.com/course The four main characteristics of CT are: Decomposition -- breaking something down to see what all the parts are and how to divide up a task; Pattern Recognition -- finding similarities and differences between parts in order to make predictions; Abstraction -- finding the general principles that generate these patterns; and Algorithm Design -- developing step by step instructions that solve similar problems. (Google video, what is Computational Thinking) https://computationalthinkingcourse.withgoogle.com/unit?lesson=8&unit=1

One skill where computational thinking is necessary is coding. Experts foresee a major shortage of computer coders in the future, so a program called the Hour of Code was developed to help inspire an interest in coding with elementary and middle school students https://hourofcode.com/us. Young people are generally less intimidated than older and middle aged people when it comes to anything to do with computer technology including coding.

Computer programming is a skill where computational thinking skills are essential. Through a page called Blocky Games https://blockly-games.appspot.com/ kids can begin to learn the basics of computer programming through fun games. Blockly Games is a series of educational games that teach programming. It is designed for children who have not had prior experience with computer programming. By the end of these games, players are ready to use conventional text-based languages. (Blocky Games)

Like most kids my daughter is obsessed with APPs. The MIT APP inventor provides activities for kids that teaches them basic APP making skills and gives them the fundamentals necessary to make their own apps. http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/

Robotics is another wave of the future where computational thinking is a necessary part of creating robots and programming them to solve problems or function. The virtual robotics tool kit provides kids with a basic understanding of robotics through a variety of multimedia activities. https://www.virtualroboticstoolkit.com/

The scratch website provides kids with opportunities to think creatively to design web based interactive stories, games, and animations — and share your creations with others in the online community. (https://scratch.mit.edu/)

The fact that there will be such a demand for web savvy and high skilled technology experts in the economy of the future, and that the future is actually now, are strong rationales for teaching Computational Thinking in today's the classrooms.

Code Studio drawing was too much fun!! I found this to be therapeutic, wish i had more time to lose myself in code. The website was very user friendly with helpful prompts and very clear explanations. By following through the steps and directions, making an image was made easy. The Code Studio artist activity was built mainly on patter recognition. After comprehending the patterns and how they made the images, I was able to use the patterns to create an algorithm design. Here is my image from the artist activity: https://studio.code.org/c/358565989

Using Trinket was definitely more complicated than Code Studio and more tedious. I got hung up on filling in the color for the tree and trunk with the begin_fill command and had to reach out for help from professor Lambert. I could lose myself for days in this stuff as it is like a puzzle and can be very rewarding once it is finally all figured out. Again, this activity was based on pattern recognition, abstraction, to understand the general principles that generate these patterns and finally, creating an algorithm based on these patterns.

By clicking play on the Trinket below, you will see the image I created for the Christmas Tree challenge: