Unit 2: Computational Thinking in the Elementary Classroom
Return to: ETAP 623 Fall 2017 Section 7619 |Project Portfolio| Mini-Course: Infusing Computational Thinking in Every Classroom
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Unit Objectives
At the conclusion of this unit you will be able to:
- Write a simple Algorithm
- Recognize patterns in everyday processes
Computational Thinking Everyday!
Computational thinking is a contributing factor to everyday processes and objects in our daily lives. Without computational thinking we would not have innovative solutions to problems such as cyber security, digital Learning Management Systems (LMS), cell phone apps, websites, the list goes on and on!
As we saw in unit one computational thinking is composed of four basic processes: Decomposition, Pattern Recognition, Abstaraction and Algorithm Design. In this unit we will use these four processes to create a simple algorithm to solve a problem.
Learning Activity
Keeping our online identity safe on the world wide web is a key skill in modern life. Between juggling passwords for bills, social media, school and work we may need to remember over a dozen different password. However in many cases we use the same password for many different accounts which can be very dangerous!
By applying computational thinking we can make this difficult problem easy to solve and multiple password easy to manage!
In the following video there are review questions and placed in the middle as well as a summary at the end. Read the prompts carefully and be sure to check your understanding!
Select this link and watch how simple it can be to use Computational Thinking to intelligently and efficiently solve a very real problem we all face!
Further Explanation
From the password example in the video every contributing factor of computational thinking is showcased.
The Four Cornerstones of Computational Thinking
Decomposition is shown when the character selects the first and last two letters in the name of a website.
Pattern recognition takes place when the character realizes that every website has a different name. (however in this problem it could be possible that two different websites started and ended with the same two letters respectively)
Abstraction is shown when the character decides to use the first and last two letters instead of the middle letters. In this process the character is focusing only on the data that relates to her algorithm.
Algorithm Design is the step by step process of choosing the first and last two letters, swapping them and then adding the number for the amount of letters in the source word in order to make a unique password.
Case Study
Password protection falls under the umbrella of Cyber Security in computer science.
Cyber security is a growing market due to the increase in information available on the web. LastPass and KeePass are two password managers that can be used to keep track of your many passwords.
Follow the links provided in the text above and explore these two websites.
Consider the following questions while you explore:
- How do you think computational thinking was used to develop these programs?
- Does this sort of program improve our world?
- How is abstraction applied to password protection?
Implications for the Classroom
In the elementary classroom a simple algorithm design activity can be as simple as a nick name!
Challenge your students to design a step by step algorithm that creates a unique nick name for each person in their class.
For example: A student writes an algorithm that consists of identifying four letters to be used as a nickname by asking their peers four questions.
The first letter will be the first letter in the of their peers favorite animal.
What is your favorite animal? Cow = C
The second letter will the first vowel in their peers favorite food.
What is your favorite food? Spaghetti = A
The third letter will be the second to last letter in your favorite color.
What is your favorite color? Purple = l
The last letter will be the last letter in your favorite board game.
What is your favorite board game? Monopoly = y
The nickname this student gets = CALY
This can be a fun way to get students active, interacting with peers, diving deeper into their understanding of spelling and the alphabet and it get them problem solving to find a solution all while learning about computational thinking!
References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpxLusH4quY
Image Source:
Clipart - High Quality, Easy to Use, Free Support. (n.d.). Retrieved December 15, 2017, from https://openclipart.org/
Mini-Course: Infusing Computational Thinking in Every Classroom
Unit 1: The Role of Computational Thinking in Education
Unit 2: Computational Thinking in the Elementary Classroom
Unit 3: Computational Thinking in the Intermediate Level Classroom