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Computational thinking refers to the thought processes involved in expressing solutions as computational steps or algorithms that can be carried out by a computer. (Cuny, Snyder, & Wing, 2010; Aho, 2011; Lee, 2016). Essentially, computational thinking is a problem solving process that involves the use of technology, which can be applied to a variety of problems.
This definition makes it evident that Computational Thinking should be used in the classroom. It is every teacher’s job to teach students to be problem solvers in a variety of situations. The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) both come along with a set of “Practices” that are meant to integrated into the academic content. The Math and Science Practices of these standards are the main facets of CT in disguise: logical thinking, algorithmic thinking, pattern recognition, modeling, abstraction, and evaluation (Beecher, 2017). In being more conscious and purposeful of computational thinking, students will develop creativity skills (Deschryver & Yadav, 2015) and become producers of technology (Angeli et al., 2016).
Students need exposure to rich STEM lessons to pique their interest in these content areas, as well as develop their creativity and critical thinking skills. Teaching computational thinking to students will inspire them to make an impact on technology and others around them (Kong, Chiu, & Lai, 2018). This will equip them with the knowledge and skills to handle the current and future challenges of technology (Angeli et al., 2016). One study found that “…students with more interest in programming considered it as more meaningful, believed that it had more impact, and believed that they had more creative self-efficacy and programming self-efficacy” (Kong, Chiu, & Lai, 2018, pp. 187-188).
Computational thinking and technology are relevant to students' lives, and they will be more likely to engage and complete tasks. I also think that computational thinking has a solid place in project-based learning, which is a direction my school would like to move towards.