Welcome to Curriki’s Problem Solving through Computational Thinking for Educators:
Online Professional Development Training for Middle and High School Teachers.
This course provides content to be used with Middle and High School students.
Did you drive or ride a bus or bike to work this morning?
Did you cook your dinner last night?
If so you were problem solving without even thinking about it.
In navigating traffic, shopping for groceries or following a recipe we engage in various
steps of problem solving and Computational Thinking.
We identify problems that need to be solved, break big problems down into smaller problems,
think about how to solve them, come up with solutions that might work and test them out.
If we try something and it doesn’t work, we try again until we succeed.
We see patterns, generalize and give others instructions to follow.
These are all skills that we utilize all the time in just about everything we do.
Thinking about how the process of problem solving takes place and comparing complex
new examples to examples from our everyday lives can help us see similarities in how
we work through problems, how Computational Thinking can help and lead to efficient and
effective solutions.
Before we dive deep into Computational Thinking, let's review the steps of a logical problem-solving
method.
For just about any problem you want to: • Define the problem
• Analyze the problem • Determine criteria for optimal solution
• Propose solutions • Evaluate your proposed solution
• Select a solution • Suggest strategies to implement the solution
Despite the formal process outlined above, in reality problem solving is a messy, non-linear,
iterative process that involves failing, learning from mistakes and overcoming challenges.
Problem solving isn’t easy.
You have to pay attention, you will make mistakes and you are likely not going to get it right
the first time.
You have to have persistence and test your solutions to be able to know when you know
that your solution works.
You also have to accept that there may not be just one right solution to the problem.
Now that we have reviewed the process of problem solving, let's switch gears and focus on what
Computational Thinking is.
In general, Computational Thinking is a set of skills that when meshed with existing problem-solving
methods, provide new avenues for solutions and the opportunity to take advantage of computers
to automate repetitive tasks and make problem solving more efficient.
Computational Thinking takes advantage of both the power of the human brain and the
power and efficiency of ever-advancing technologies.
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the Computer Science
Teachers Association (CSTA) have collaborated with leaders from higher education, industry,
and K–12 education to develop an operational definition of computational thinking.
“Computational thinking (CT) is a problem-solving process that includes (but is not limited
to) the following characteristics: • Formulating problems in a way that enables
us to use a computer and other tools to help solve them.
• Logically organizing and analyzing data • Representing data through abstractions
such as models and simulations • Automating solutions through algorithmic
thinking (a series of ordered steps) • Identifying, analyzing, and implementing
possible solutions with the goal of achieving the most efficient and effective combination
of steps and resources • Generalizing and transferring this problem
solving process to a wide variety of problems These skills are both supported and enhanced
by a number of dispositions or attitudes that are essential dimensions of Computational
Thinking.
These dispositions or attitudes include: • Confidence in dealing with complexity
• Persistence in working with difficult problems
• Tolerance for ambiguity • The ability to deal with open ended problems
• The ability to communicate and work with others to achieve a common goal or solution”
Understanding how Computational Thinking relates to computers and computer science can be confusing.
Here are a few clarifications:
Computational Thinking can, but does not necessarily involve computers.
The term “Computational Thinking” is relatively new--it came about in the 1990s--but the process
of solving problems using computational thinking is not.
Today, our tendency is to associate computation with computers.
We nearly all have access to desktop or laptop computers, or devices like tablets or phones
available to us and these devices make our lives easier.
We may think of computational thinking as a tool leading to computer programming.
Computational Thinking can “enable you to work out exactly what to tell the computer
to do”, however, the skill set developed through computational thinking can be applied
in any field and does not necessarily require the use of a computer at all.
Throughout this course, examples of computational thinking that utilize computers, and examples
that don’t involve computers will be explored.
Computational Thinking can be used to solve problems in any area or field.
Since computational thinking is a set of skills and a process, it can be applied in any area
or setting and it does not require additional equipment, expertise or additional time to
be taught as a separate subject when it is tied into everyday problem solving processes.
Engaging in Computational Thinking can lead to a much better understanding about computing.
People who have not studied Computer Science may not understand how computers work and
how they can be programmed to make our lives easier.
Solving problems using computational thinking skills, even if the problem or solution has
nothing to do with computers, can help anyone start to understand how patterns, iteration,
algorithms and other basic logic works.
Computational Thinking and Critical Thinking are similar, but not the same.
Thinking critically is a broader skill--Computational Thinking is a specific method of Critical
Thinking that aims to “formulate problems in a way that enables us to use a computer
and other tools to help solve them.”
The skills and methods of Computational Thinking are valuable tools that can tie into thinking
critically.
Please watch the Introduction: Part 2 video which delves into the importance of Computational
Thinking, some key terminology, concepts and processes (an overview of rest of course)
and discusses how Computational Thinking ties into several sets of educational standards.