3 a’s of computational thinking. computational thinking

3 A’s of Computational Thinking

Computational Thinking

• Understand what aspects of a problem are amenable to computation

• Evaluate the match between computational tools and techniques and a problem

• Understand the limitations and power of computational tools and techniques

• Apply or adapt a computational tool or technique to a new use

• Recognize an opportunity to use computation in a new way

• Apply computational strategies such divide and conquer in any domain

Computational Thinking:

“Solving problems, designing systems, and understanding human behavior by drawing on

the concepts fundamental to computer science”

Computer Science

Computer Science

Computer Science

The scientific and mathematical approach to computation (and specifically: the design of computing machines and processes).

Input (data) Output (data)

Key terms:

• Computation

• Data (“Dataology”)

Quantitative & Qualitative

• Information

3 A’s:

Abstraction, Automation, Analysis

Abstraction

Abstraction

The process of generalizing from specific instances.

http://laurenrabaino.hubpages.com

http://www.leda-tutorial.org

Abstraction

Capturing essential common characteristics

while discarding

unessential characteristics

Abstraction of computational process:

Algorithm

Caughtthought.com

Where’s Abstraction in the Computational Science Cycle?

Here it is!

Automation

Cookie factory

Where’s Automation in the Computational Science Cycle?

Here it is!

Analysis

Where’s Analysis in the Computational Science Cycle?

Here it is!

Categories of Analysis:

Verification: you have the right model

Validation: your model is accurate

NOAA/NESDIS

Lee, et al. 2011

ReferencesBarr, Stephenson (2011), “Bringing Computational Thinking to K-12”, ACM Inroads, March 2011

Cuny, Snyder, Wing, (2010), “Computational Thinking: A Definition”

Lee, et al. (2010), “Computational Thinking for Youth in Practice.”

MIT Open Courseware: “What does a computer scientist do?” (http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-00sc-introduction-to-computer-science-and-programming-spring-2011/unit-3/lecture-26-what-do-computer-scientists-do/#?w=535)