Computational Thinking Throughout the Curriculum Joe Kmoch Milwaukee, WI joe@jkmoch.com June 6, 2017 Karen North Houston, TX knorth@me.com June 6, 2017

Goals Share promising approaches and experiences integrating CT into various content areas. Discuss opportunities to integrate CT across the curriculum Collaborate on writing new examples Generate questions, concerns and feedback. Sign up to continue this work Break up the problem into smaller parts – this is called Decomposition Using insight we discovered a Pattern We analyzed the pattern and created specific steps to solve this problem – this is an Algorithm We looked at similar problems and came up with a formula, a simplification, a generalization – an Abstraction

But first…It’s Make Believe Time Pretend you’re a fourth grader Now put on your thinking caps…

Thinking, no writing… Sum up all of the whole nmbers from 1 to 200 ...in 30 seconds ---Starting NOW Continue with “In your head…but don’t start until I tell you...”

Sum the numbers task Did you get a total? Was it too hard to do? Let’s work on this together…

Solving the problem… Break up the problem into smaller chunks Start at the two ends – what is 200 + 1? What is 199 + 2? What is 198 + 3?

Continuing… Do you see a pattern? What’s the next couple of steps in this pattern? When does this pattern stop?

Continuing… How many of these pairs of numbers do we have that add up to 201? So how do we find the answer to our original problem? These are steps to solve the problem An Algorithm – can you state it in words?

…in general... What if we wanted to add up the numbers from 1 to 2,000? How about from 1 to 20,000? Can you come up with a formula that works for any of these? We can call this an abstraction (a simplification, a generalization) Q to ponder: what about ending in an odd number, eg 1 to 155? And from the abstraction, we can generate a general algorithm (formula in this case)

What have we learned? Decomposition Patterns Algorithm Abstraction Break up the problem into smaller parts – this is called Decomposition Using insight we discovered a Pattern We analyzed the pattern and created specific steps to solve this problem – this is an Algorithm We looked at similar problems and came up with a formula, a simplification, a generalization – an Abstraction

All fundamental to computer science What is CT? There are lots of similar approaches to a definition, but they seem to focus on using Decomposition Pattern recognition Algorithms Abstraction Expressing an approach that a computer (human, machine or both) can be used to achieve a solution All fundamental to computer science

What is CT? From the K-12 Computer Science Framework CT is the ”human ability to formulate problems so that their solutions can be represented as computational steps or algorithms to be carried out by an information-processing agent (e.g., a computer).” CT is central to the practices and concepts of the framework

Polya’s Four Steps Problems can be successfully solved by Understanding the problem Planning a solution Implementing this solution Testing/Evaluating

Where does CT fit in? CT is engaged primarily in the first two steps Understanding the problem Using pattern recognition and decomposition Planning the solution Using abstraction and algorithms CT is involved with the problem solution created in such a way that a computer can be involved in the solution, but CT is not coding

Google Video Computational Thinking at Google

CT includes… 9 (11) concepts: 5 dispositions: Data Collection, Analysis, Representation; Decomposition; Pattern Recognition and Generalization; Algorithm Design; Abstraction; Automation; Modeling/Simulation; Parallelization 5 dispositions: Dealing with and tolerance for complexity, persistence, ambiguity, open- ended problems; communication and collaboration Tinkering: :confidence in dealing with complexity Persevering: persistence in working difficult problems Debugging: tolerance for ambiguity Creating: ability to deal with open-ended problems communication and collaboration with others

CT/CS Concepts and approaches Data Collection, Analysis, Representation Decomposition Pattern Recognition and Generalization Algorithm Design Abstraction Automation Modeling/Simulation Parallelization

CS/CT Dispositions Tinkering: :confidence in dealing with complexity Persevering: persistence in working difficult problems Debugging: tolerance for ambiguity Creating: ability to deal with open-ended problems communication and collaboration with others These are tendencies we want to nurture in all or our learners whether involved in CT or not

Your Turn Form groups of 5-6 people by area of interest (or create a new area of interest) Select a facilitator and a scribe Open http://tinyurl.com/wtcs-ctworksession - please take notes under the tab with your subject name OR use sticky notes Display NAF CT worksheet

Discussion Time (5 min) Discuss integrations you have done or seen Roles: Facilitator starts a structured discussion by asking group members to share out an idea, resources for a lesson that integrates CT into another subject. Scribe takes notes on sticky notes or online http://tinyurl.com/wtcs-ctworksession

Development Time (15 min) Develop example(s) of integrations you’d like to see or have seen (look at your handout packet for examples) Roles: Facilitator asks for ideas for new CT examples in your content area and then helps to select and develop a new or modified example (increasing the CT). Scribe takes notes on sticky notes or online http://tinyurl.com/wtcs-ctworksession

Sharing Out (10 min) Report out and sign up to continue work… Roles: Facilitator and or Scribe reports out on an example their group developed.

Volunteer Volunteer to help create more examples. On the Google sheet labeled “sign up”, add your name, contact information, and if you’d like to continue

Google 130+ lessons http://g.co/exploringCT Click on 130+ materials Lesson plans, demos, programs US History (2) Language (11) Music (1) Math, Science, CS (over 100)

Other CT Resources Online course from Google Integrated into a variety of subject areas Create a plan for yourself

Other CT Resources (Great Britain) BBC Bitesize Intro to CT Primary and secondary areas http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/topics/z7tp34j Computing At School (CAS) Community – CT A Guide for Teachers http://community.computingatschool.org.uk/resources/2324 Many more British resources listed here: http://community.computingatschool.org.uk/resources/252 http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/topics/z7tp34j

Other CT Resources (Great Britain) Computing At School (CAS) Community – CT A Guide for Teachers http://community.computingatschool.org.uk/resources/2324 Many more British resources listed here: http://community.computingatschool.org.uk/resources/252 Other CT Resources (Great Britain) Computing At School (CAS) Community – CT A Guide for Teachers http://community.computingatschool.org.uk/resources/2324 Many more British resources listed here: http://community.computingatschool.org.uk/resources/252 BBC Bitesize Intro to CT Primary and secondary areas http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/topics/z7tp34j Computing At School (CAS) Community – CT A Guide for Teachers http://community.computingatschool.org.uk/resources/2324 Many more British resources listed here: http://community.computingatschool.org.uk/resources/252

CT Competition Bebras Computing Challenge 2017 mid-November http://www.bebraschallenge.org Four Divisions: gr 5-6, gr 7-8, gr 9-10, gr 11-12

Questions? Joe Kmoch Milwaukee, WI joe@jkmoch.com Karen North Contact info: Joe Kmoch Milwaukee, WI joe@jkmoch.com Karen North Houston, TX knorth@me.com These slides are on http://computationalthinking.pbworks.com