Why should your kids learn computational thinking?
When I was a kid, I carried a notebook everywhere so I could write down ideas. My brain bubbled with story plot lines, craft projects, and inventions. But when it came time to execute the idea, I frequently faltered. Writing a whole story at once felt too overwhelming. Where was the best place to start?
This problem is not unique to me. Maybe you’ve seen your kids locked in the same struggle. Are they brimming with ideas yet unsure of how to execute them? Does starting their homework seem like a battle? Do they leave a trail of unfinished projects in their wake? While kids are inherently curious, they lack an innate process of structuring their thinking.
Computational thinking is one such problem solving process. While the challenges they encounter may change, the steps of the process remain constant so there’s no guessing at where to start. By structuring their thinking, kids will be able to approach problems in an effective way and dive into finding a solution. You can facilitate opportunities for your kids to learn this consistent approach for tackling problems.
Programming is a great way to help kids learn technical skills and also expose them to computational thinking. It allows them explore and understand the world around them, making it easier for them to learn. The process looks something like this:
- Break the problem down into small pieces
- Find patterns
- Abstract out patterns
- Create algorithms
Let’s take a closer look.
Say your child is trying to make a Hopscotch game where the hero avoids obstacles and earns points for grabbing cheese. Deciding where to start may be overwhelming, but if they apply computational thinking, they’ll know the first step is to break down the problem into smaller pieces: the background, the hero, the obstacles, the cheese, and the points tally.
Once your child breaks the problem into parts, they can example the pieces and search for similarities. If each obstacle moves from right to left, they share that direction in common. Interesting! Maybe they can share the same code. When your child makes these connections, they can assign the obstacles step by step rules, like “when the game starts, change x position by -400.” Repeat that line of code forever and every obstacle will move across the screen from left to right. Done with obstacles? On to the next piece!
Designing a game may seem like a purely creative activity, but applying computational thinking helps accomplish the goal quickly and efficiently.
When it comes to learning the process, it’s never too early to start. Computational thinking structures children’s thinking and leverages their inherent curiosity. In fact, kids will think it’s awesome that they have a new tool set for solving tough problems by themselves.
Next week, we’ll examine how to foster creativity and computational thinking through computer scientist Seymour Papert’s concept of constructivist learning.
