1. Computational Thinking in the Classroom
Martine Ceberio
Computer Science Department, UTEP
December 4, 2017, EPISD PDC, El Paso, TX

2. Computational Thinking?
Computational thinking is a way of
solving problems,
designing systems, and
understanding human behavior that draws on concepts fundamental to computer science.
To flourish in today's world, computational thinking has to be a fundamental part of the way people think and understand the world.
[from Carnegie Mellon University]

3. Computational thinking? (cont’d)
Algorithmically solving problems
Formulating problems such that computers can assist
Analyzing and logically processing data
Generalizing and applying this process to other problems
Abstraction, reusability, versatility

4. Computational Thinking? Why?
Being able to solve problems is relevant to many disciplines
Law, medicine, engineering, etc.
Problem-based learning (to some extent at least) has proven to be very successful
Exposing students to problem-solving and possibly computer science will give them more options for careers

5. Computational Thinking? How?
Obviously, this is central to Computer Science  Mathematics: posing problems and using the right tools to solve them But not only… What else? Tell me what you do in your classes

6. Examples Computer science:
Problem solving rather than sole focus on coding
CS unplugged
Kodu or similar
Mathematics:
Posing problems rather than executing operations, repeating
Show that many ways exist to solve a given problem, so that students have to think and pick
Use simple robots

11. Examples (cont’d) Social Studies: You can use programs like Scratch
More advanced (more time): robots, lego mindstorm?
E.g., identifying a problem, designing and building a solution
Music:
Plug it in an animated video
Languages:
Same as with music but with text for practice

12. My own experience
I currently teach CS1: intro to CS & Problem Solving In CS1: problem-solving and programming (because we solve pbs on computers  ) In Problem-Solving: pure strategy, no coding, no implementation

13. MAIN goals Keeping the interest of the students up:
Motivation: purpose and relating topics to their everyday lives
Acknowledgment: they know a lot already. I am just there to help them make sense of their skills

14. How do we do this?
Purpose: Use videos to show them what Computer Science is: code.org is a great resource
Give them projects that are relevant
Relevance: Share with them the accomplishments of people in CS (make sure to include diversity: women, other minorities)
Acknowledgment of their prior skills: relate the topics to “real- life” common tasks and activities + be casual (show trust)
E.g., algorithms: unplugged activities, robots
Recursion, repetitions: CS unplugged
Arrays and Linked-lists: rows of houses vs Treasure Hunt, Monkeys in a barrel
Etc.

15. Examples
Let’s do it together: 1. Robot activity 2. Recursion 3. Looking for an element in an array (logic & storage) 4. Linked-lists manipulations And you can come up with many more! Computer Science rests on computational thinking (algorithms, problem-solving). You can teach mostly without computers!

16. Easy (other) ways to get involved…
Partner with Code.org, Exploring CS, CS Principles, Google EngageCSEdu
The Hour of Code: First week of December
After-school programs
E.g., with Little Bits:
Code.org
NCWIT AiC, NCWIT AspireIT

17. What we can do
Visit your classes Give tours and workshops to your students Give workshops to you to show you in more details what you can do in your classes Build an interest group of teachers

18. Thank you!
Questions?
Martine Ceberio Associate Professor of Computer Science The University of Texas at El Paso