developing examples of what CT
skills look like in the classroom as
well as assembling resources to support and guide the implementation
of computational thinking concepts
in PK– 12 education.
How Is CT Different?
Many of the concepts, skills, and dispositions listed in this operational definition are not new. So how is computational thinking different from critical
thinking or mathematical thinking?
This question has given rise to much
debate but, as yet, no widely accepted
consensus. The participants in the
workshops sponsored by the ISTE/
CSTA project proposed that CT differs
from critical thinking and mathematical thinking because:
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Ms. Martinez’s sixth grade social
studies class is studying the
Roman Empire. Students will
compare events in an ancient
Roman child’s life to their own life
experience by writing responses
on the Ancient Roman Life Blog.
They will also identify the lifestyle
of ancient Roman children and
compare it to their own. The
teacher calls attention to the
vocabulary of “modeling” and
“simulation” and asks students to
reflect on other activities in which
they have used these concepts
and skills. She also asks them
to reflect on where they might
use them in the future, including
their careers. These students
are learning the computational
thinking concepts of representing
data through abstractions, such
as models and simulation, and
logically organizing and analyzing
data. They are also exploring
ways of transferring these skills to
other contexts.
Ms. Lee’s seventh grade
class is looking at a series of
diagrams her students have
created to portray floor plans
of their school and homes.
In the diagrams, each room is
labeled as a node and each
pathway out of the building is
labeled as a route. Students are
discussing the options for escape
routes in the event of a fire. As
the students and Ms. Lee look
over the diagrams, you hear a
conversation among the students
describing how the diagrams are
an abstraction of the actual rooms
in a home or school building that
enables them to represent all the
possible escape routes.
The students are
preparing to create an
algorithm to calculate
the safest and fastest
routes from the
buildings.
Mr. Butler’s fifth
grade music class
has been studying
the diatonic scale
and the concept
of pitch. Now
the students are
using Scratch
to create a virtual
xylophone that will
correctly reproduce the scale.
Through observation, the
students recognize that each
bar of the xylophone behaves
in the same manner, but the
pitch varies for each bar. These
students are learning the CT
concepts of representing
data through abstractions as
well as identifying, analyzing,
and implementing possible
solutions. Additionally, they are
experiencing the CT disposition
of persistence in working with
difficult problems.
Mr. Davis’ ninth grade language
arts class is studying various
literary elements, such as plot,
point of view, irony, and voice.
They have read a number of
short stories and are wrapping
up the unit. They are preparing
to write essays that explore
how a particular literary device
plays a part in the essence and
workings of the chosen stories.
These students must state their
theses clearly and include at
least three pieces of evidence to
support the theses. The skills of
logically organizing and analyzing
data necessary for proving a
thesis with citations of strong
and thorough textual evidence
are also essential elements of
computational thinking. The CT
concept of representing data
through abstractions of literary
elements, such as plot structure,
setting, figurative language,
tone, and point of view, is also
necessary to writing a coherent
essay of literary analysis with a
clear thesis statement. The CT
ability to communicate and work
with others to achieve a common
goal or solution facilitates active
participation in class discussions,
especially those guided by a
seminar question. As the students
reflect on their unit and the skills
that enable them to be effective
writers, they begin making
connections between the skills
they are using in language arts
and their application to other
subject areas.
