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Computational Thinking

Developing possible solutions to complex problems

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What is Computational Thinking?

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Four Cornerstones

Decomposition
Pattern Recognition
Abstraction
Algorithm Design

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This is Computer Science!

Computational Thinking Concept	Computer Science Application
Break a problem into parts or steps	Break a computational graph problem into 4 sections, each one to be completed by a different computer processor
Recognise and find patterns or trends	Visualize data comparing microchip material and computer speed to notice a trend
Develop instructions to solve a problem or steps for a task	Write a computer program to sort data
Generalise patterns and trends into rules, principles or insights	Realise complex data structures require less code than complex programming

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This is NOT Computer Science!

Computational Thinking Concept	Subject Area Application
Break a problem into parts or steps	Literature: Break down the analysis of a poem into analysis of meter, rhyme, imagery, structure, tone, diction, and meaning.
Recognise and find patterns or trends	Economics: Find cycle patterns in the rise and drop of the country's economy.
Develop instructions to solve a problem or steps for a task	Food Technology: Write a recipe for others to use.
Generalise patterns and trends into rules, principles or insights	Mathematics: Figure out the rules for factoring 2nd-order polynomials Chemistry: Determine the rules for chemical bonding and interactions.

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Some Examples...

Decomposition

Algorithm Design

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Decomposition

Look around the room and (secretly) chose a person
Take it in turns to ask yes/no questions to guess the person e.g.:

“Are they wearing glasses?”
“Do they have blonde hair?”

Winner is first to guess who their partner is thinking of!

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Decomposition

How many questions did you need?
What questions were useful?
What questions were not useful?
Did you refine your techniques? How?

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Decomposition

Look for key tasks and functions
For each key task and function:

Can we solve it in one go?
If not, break it down into subtasks or functions

Continue doing this until every task or function is as broken down and simple as possible

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Decomposition

Chess Game

Make Changes

Insert Move

Draw Board

Change Player

Check if won

Verify Move

Enter Move

Change Position

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Decomposition

Draw board
Insert move

Enter move

Enter x position of piece to move
Enter y position of piece to move
Enter x position to move to
Enter y position to move to

Verify move
Change position of piece

Make changes
Check if won
Change player turn

Chess Game

Draw board
Insert move
Make changes
Check if won
Change player turn

Draw board
Insert move

Enter move
Verify move
Change position of piece

Make changes
Check if won
Change player turn

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Decomposition

Rock, Paper Scissors

Create a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors
Decompose the problem into manageable steps:

Create a diagram
Create a numbered list

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Decomposition

Rock, Paper Scissors - Discussion

Which method was easier?
Why?
What are the strengths of the diagram?
What are the strengths of the numbered list?

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Algorithm Design

Work in groups of three

Person 1 can look at everything but only give directions
Person 2 may not look at the model, but build from instructions from person 1
Person 3 counts how many instructions given and notes what was and was not helpful for the group

As a group you must copy the model given to Person 1 in 5 minutes or less
Share with the class how you did!

Activity Overview:

In this activity, students will use algorithm design to create an ordered series of instructions for solving a problem, and other students will follow the algorithm.

You need to have prepared a lego block model for each group beforehand and have enough pieces for each group to construct the same model again.

Divide students into groups of three and give each group a set of bricks.

Person 1 may look at everything but may only give directions.
Person 2 may not look at the model but will build based upon instructions from person 1.
Person 3 will count how many instructions are given until the model is complete and will write down instructions that were helpful or not helpful to the group.

Hand the model to person 1 of each group and set the timer for no more than 5 minutes. Instruct students to copy the given model as accurately as possible.
After the time is up, have students show their completed model, then share with the whole class.
Have person 3 state the number of instructions given (even if the model wasn’t finished).
If you have time and another model, have the students go through a second round.

Taken from: https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/1Qouj-ZxcPVmYehvIvLGnNV0X_4E_9YNyjXEeCOmmBaI/mobilebasic

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Algorithm Design

Q1: What type of instructions worked best?
Q2: Why is this type of activity representative of humans working with computers?
Q3: What problems might you have if you had to give a computer a set of instructions?

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Algorithm Design

An algorithm can be defined by creating a series of step-by-step instructions that can be used to solve a problem or carry out a task.

You just created an algorithm in the previous task!

What must we do for our algorithms to be effective?

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Algorithm Design

Given two containers, one that can hold 4 ml and one that can hold 7 ml, how can you get exactly one of these containers to hold exactly 5 ml?

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Algorithm Design

Given two containers, one that can hold 4 ml and one that can hold 7 ml, how can you get exactly one of these containers to hold exactly 5 ml?

Instruction	Quantity in A (max 4)	Quantity in B (max 7)
START	0	0
Fill A	4	0
A -> B	0	4
Empty B	0	0

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Algorithm Design

Did you find a solution?
How many instructions did it take?
Was it the only way you could have done it?
What was the most efficient way of completing the exercise?

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Algorithm Design

Instruction	Quantity in A (max 4)	Quantity in B (max 7)
START	0	0
Fill A	4	0
A -> B	0	4
Fill A	4	4
A -> B	1	7
Empty B	1	0
A -> B	0	1
Fill A	4	1
A -> B	0	5

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To find out more...

Google’s Computational Thinking for Educators course: https://computationalthinkingcourse.withgoogle.com/course

Exploring Computational Thinking - Materials for all subjects: https://www.google.com/edu/resources/programs/exploring-computational-thinking/index.html#!ct-materials