Computational Thinking
A new model of introductory-level CS education (in high school and college) emphasizes the elements of computer science that aren't jsut programming. There is a proposed AP CS Principles course (slated for release in 2016), a course called the Beauty and Joy of Computing, courses called Exploring Computer Science, all with the same basic structure; the distinction between them is still evolving.
Talks from Tapestry Workshops
Speaker | Tile | Workshop | Material |
---|---|---|---|
Barnes, Tiffany | The New CS AP Exam | North Carolina 2012 | Slides (pdf) Barnes' 2011 course (moodle) |
Drobnis, Ann | Computer Science: What's going on and what we still need to do | Nebraska 2012 | Slides (pptx) |
Griffin, Jean | CS Principles Course | Pennsylvania 2012 | Slides (pptx) Slides (pdf) Learning Objectives (pdf) |
Harrison, John | The New AP | Virginia 2011 | Slides (pptx) |
Kosa, Martha | AP CS Principles Overview | Tennessee 2011 | Slides (pptx) Slides (pdf) Code (zip) |
Mayfield, Chris | Computational thinking | Virginia 2012 | Slides (pptx) Slides (pdf) Other resources (html) |
Seth Reichelson also mentioned his pilot CS-P course in several 2013 workshops; his draft curriculum is available (docx).
External Resources
- Blown to Bits: Your Life, Liberty, and Happiness after the Digital Explosion by Hal Abelson, Ken Ledeen, and Harry Lewis. A common book of readings to have accompanying a CS Principles-type course.
- Computer Science Illuminated by Nell Dale and John Lewis. A layered exploration of the 7 principles in AP CS P, with ethical discussions for each.
- Computational Thinking by Jeanette Wing, a magazine article that is often cited as catalyzing the computational thinking movement.
- An Exploration in the Space of Mathematics Education by Seymour Papert, the article that introduced the term “computational thinking.”
- CS Principles, resources for the soon-to-be new AP test in CS aimed at non-programmers.
- Exploring CS, a course developed the the LA Unified School District.
- TED Talk by Conrad Wolfram about teaching math instead of computation, and using computers to help.
- Google's “Computational Thinking” online course
Comments
These classes typically involve a small programming element; Block-based languages are a common choice
page revision: 11, last edited: 05 Aug 2013 12:56