Computational Thinking: A Key to Teaching the Future

Fernando Šabacnik And Maria Belén Bonello They are the authors of the article Computer science in school, published by Siglo XXI, in which they present a series of ideas and proposals to invite teachers and students to view the computer as a revolutionary tool in the classroom. The book is a platform in which to address complex issues and profound debates, such as the space needed for girls and adolescents in a computing world, the link between school and the world of work, and the relationship between school learning and full citizenship.

We have to think about the need computer science present throughout the compulsory education period,” he says Melina Foreman In the introduction to the book. He continues, “This means a significant investment in teacher training and setting standards for its delivery. Undoubtedly, one of the educational goals is to promote these sciences, an initiative that requires joint action from all actors in the field: teachers, researchers, and even the productive sector. We must do this: it is not about the world of the future … but about the present.

The authors begin the article with a question: What is computational thinking and how does it interfere with learning. What is computational thinking? “The definition is not entirely clear in the specialized literature,” say some, including: “Think of those skills that computer professionals acquire during their training, but are useful outside the field and even beyond interaction with digital systems.” For example: dividing a problem into subproblems, abstraction ability, generation, etc. The basic idea is that computational thinking consists of Tools used by programmers They use it in their daily work and this can naturally transfer to other contexts.

Although this first definition is correct, it is not enough to define the domain of computational thinking, because it becomes too open and abstract. Abstraction and generalization, aren’t they the ways engineers, architects, and many other professionals act?

So, Chabachnik and Bonello end up heading towards a proposal Computer Science Teachers Association of the United States (CSTA)who developed a definition that considers computational thinking as a problem-solving process:

– Formulate problems in a way that allows us to use computer and other tools to help resolve it

– Organize and analyze Boolean data

– represent the data Through abstractions, such as models and simulations

– automation solutions Through computational reasoning (ie: a series of ordered steps)

– Identify, analyze and implement possible solutions With the aim of achieving the most efficient and effective set of steps and resources

– Circulation and transfer This problem-solving process for a variety of problems

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