Bringing Computational Thinking into K-12 Classrooms

We have to admit that computer technology has become a driving force in society that we cannot deny. Most of the jobs available to future students require at least some computer literacy and jobs that utilize an expertise in computer science and thinking are becoming far more frequent as the years go by. Jobs that were once done without computer technology are now being run by it completely, or has become an essential part of the job description. Our students need to be prepared for these jobs, and it is our job as teachers to help them do that.

Computational thinking needs to be incorporated in the everyday curriculum of the classroom. Valerie Barr and Chris Stephenson discuss the importance of computational thinking and how we are working to incorporate it into curriculum and spread awareness. They state that computational thinking is a way to problem solve using computers. Students don't just learn to use these tools, but become tool builders. Students learn a multitude of skills from having computational thinking in the classroom including trial and error, the ability to accept failure and the difficulties of complex or open ended problems, group work and how to work in a group and come to a consensus. These skills allow students to not just know the basics of academia but apply them to real problems. Students also learn that there are multiple ways to solve one problem.


Barr and Stephenson talk about a panel created to discuss and decide what computational thinking means for K-12. One of the most important issues I thought they determined was the challenge of separating computer science with computational thinking. Students and teachers need to incorporate it into everyday subjects, rather than make it a completely new subject of its own. By being able to see its uses to a variety of subjects and tasks will make it easier to understand its implications and importance, as well as make students more willing to learn and use it. Its diversity of applications is what makes computational thinking so important and critical to our K-12 curriculum. Teachers can use it in a wide variety of ways in any subject. The current panel has been working on how computational thinking fit into K-12 curriculum. Next they will focus on how to implement it and incorporate it into the current standards. To the right is a graph from the article by Barr and Stephenson, showing how computational thinking is defined or can be used in multiple subjects. I think this will prove to be very helpful in creating curriculum for computational thinking.


Barr, V., and C. Stephenson. (2011).Bringing CT to K-12: What Is Involved and What Is the Role of the Computer Science Education Community? ACM Inroads,  2 (1). pp. 48-54.