What is Computational Thinking Owen Astrachan Computational ThinkingCE

What is Computational Thinking? Owen Astrachan Computational Thinking/CE 21/CSPrinciples 1

What is Computational Thinking? l Potter Stewart, 1984, Jacobellis v Ohio ØI shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description of [computational thinking]; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, Computational Thinking/CE 21/CSPrinciples 2

Computational Thinking l Leverages the power of computing l Has the potential to scale, to process lots of data l Accessible to lots of people with varied backgrounds l Not just about metaphors, but about facilitating doing things: Ø Computational Thinking/CE 21/CSPrinciples Doing 3

Computational Thinking Practices l Part of the CS Principles project/course Ø Practices associated with evidence centered design Ø Content X Practices = claims and evidence l Seven Big Ideas, Six CT Practices Ø See by example what we will use to develop assessments Computational Thinking/CE 21/CSPrinciples 4

URL for CS Principles documents l http: //bit. ly/csthinking Ø What is bit. ly? Ø Where is bit. ly mostly used? Ø What does http: //bit. ly/f 2 e. AHN reference Ø What about http: //bit. ly/f 2 e. AHN+ l Is this computational thinking? Computational Thinking/CE 21/CSPrinciples 5

Inculcate Computational Thinking l Not done solely by computer scientists l Not done solely by college professors l Not done without lots and lots of funding l Not done without lots and lots of education Computational Thinking/CE 21/CSPrinciples 6

A Computational Thinking Story l Ladder from ‘white’ to ‘house’ Ø White, l while, whale, shale, … I can do that… optimally Ø My brother was an English major Ø My ladder is 16, his is 15, how? l The key is sough Ø Voila, l 14 words! Guarantee optimality! Computational Thinking/CE 21/CSPrinciples 7

Finding Computational Thinking l If I ever go looking for my heart's desire again, I won't look any further than my own back yard. Dorothy to the Tinman Computational Thinking/CE 21/CSPrinciples 8

Tufte: best graphic ever Computational Thinking/CE 21/CSPrinciples 9

http: //chir. ag/projects/preztags/ l http: //nyti. ms/prezdent Computational Thinking/CE 21/CSPrinciples 10