I used Diagrams.net to create a web to illustrate connections between computational thinking and robotics. From my reading, I learned that computational thinking is a problem solving skill set that can be applied in fields such as robotics, engineering, and computer science. Doing activities in these STEM fields can help students strengthen their computational thinking skills. If I were to remake this web, I would put the Computational Thinking bubbles on the top.
What are some strategies that we can employ to incorporate computational thinking activities into the more "traditional" academic subjects?
What are some "low-tech"/"no-tech" activities that we could use to introduce the computational thinking and/or robotics skills?
References:
“Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies K-9 – Curricular Competencies.” BC’s Curriculum: Applied Design, Skills and Technologies. Province of British Columbia, July 2019. https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/sites/curriculum.gov.bc.ca/files/curriculum/continuous-views/en_ADST_k-9_curricular_competencies.pdf.Accessed 6 May 2022.
“Computational Thinking Illustrated.”
CodeBC. https://codebc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/computational-thinking-illustrated.pdf Accessed 6 May 2022.
Becky
ReplyDeleteYour mindmap was helpful to understand the links you'd found. I agree that the computational thinking should go on top. When I think about computational thinking, I see it as an umbrella term that describes a way of managing ideas. These ideas can range from art and design to math and robotics. Your question about strategies that are used to develop computational thinking in traditional academic subjects is an interesting one for debate. My feelings are that they are used constantly in math when we decompose skills into steps and then link them to other topics already covered. With history students are often taught events in sequence based on date order.
Kathryn:
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah,
Thanks so much for your post! I am wondering a lot of the same things as you. I found it very enlightening to read the article on computational thinking as it isn't something that I spent much time thinking about before. It was interesting to me as I always connected computational thinking with robotics rather than other subjects but it could easily be infused into a variety of subject matter. I would love to take the opportunity to work in a group to breakdown what it is and think about how we might already be using it in our more "traditional" classrooms. I bet there is a lot going on that we don't consider CT.
Brandy
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah,
Thank you for sharing your clearly organized chart and your questions. I think these types of thinking skills can definitely be cultivated throughout the various subject areas, as the skills mentioned in the Computational Thinking Illustrated article do not actually require technology. For example, breaking down a larger project into smaller parts is an example of "analyzing problems and artifacts" and the importance of teamwork and communication are paramount when it comes to computational thinking. I think the key might be to help teachers and students see when they are employing these skills and to help them name them. If we develop vocabulary at school for these things that are often done naturally, then more connections will be made intentionally.
Av3rill: What are some strategies that we can employ to incorporate computational thinking activities into the more "traditional" academic subjects? Working with staff to collaboratively identify a list of how students use these skills in their everyday schooling
ReplyDeleteAlgorithm design - Learners:
• Build algorithms based on information in word problems
• Apply algorithms to area/perimeter/circumference
• Apply problem solving steps to different situations
• Use steps to construct geometric solids from nets
• Determine most efficient route to get from one place to another
Pattern recognition - Learners:
• recognize counting patterns and apply those patterns to operations
• identify trends by analyzing data
• understand how games are played (chess, cribbage)
• create visual patterns and musical patterns
• understand in what situations to use certain operations and formulae
Decomposition - Learners:
• find the area of different shapes by decomposing them into triangles
• decompose numbers to determine place value
• decompose numbers into groups when dividing
• find factors of a number by decomposing using multiplication
• word problem solving process is decomposition
Abstraction - Learners:
• Create visualizations of data
• Calculate sales tax on purchases
• Represent money with coins, bills, credits, and debits
• Illustrate word problems
• Explain their mathematical thinking
• Use manipulatives to understand concepts
If teachers start to 'name' the thinking that students are doing, a greater understanding of Computational Thinking will be achieved!
Kirstin: Low-tech/no-tech: One lesson plan that I really like is from the Code BC Computational Learning Modules, where the students create an algorithm to guide a blindfolded student past obstacles. This can be easily adapted based on grade level.
ReplyDeletehttps://codebc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Unit-1__Unit-2_126pages_lighthouselabs-v3-1.pdf