Digital Promise defines computational thinking as a set of computational skills and computational practices that teachers can map onto subject-matter learning¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The report defines computational thinking for practitioners as practices and skills rather than technical jargon. It states that "Computational skills are the cognitive processes necessary to engage with computational tools to solve problems" while "Computational practices combine many computational skills to solve an applied problem." Skills include problem decomposition, abstraction, debugging, algorithmic thinking, pattern recognition, and tool selection; practices yield artifacts such as programs, data visualizations, or computational models. Figure 1 relates these aspects so teachers in any subject can find productive intersections with expected student learning.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Deliberately excludes technical terminology that can act as a barrier for practitioners without a computer science background, instead operationalizing concepts in everyday language

Constraints¶

• Developed from Digital Promise's own learning sciences research and educator feedback, not presented as a consensus definition

Target Learners¶

• PreK-8 students across academic subjects

Target Learning Objectives¶

• Problem-solving with computational tools integrated into ELA, mathematics, science, and social studies

Claims¶

Related Theories¶

• Three Powerful Uses Of Computers Ct
• Three-circle framework for computational thinking integration: skills, practices, and inclusive pedagogies

Examples¶

• Digital Promise's Computational Thinking micro-credentials recognize educators whose students apply CT practices
• Integrate computational thinking into PreK-8 core subject matter rather than relying on stand-alone clubs and classes

Key Sources¶

• Digital Promise. (2021, March). Powerful learning with computational thinking: Our why, what, and how of computational thinking. Digital Promise. https://doi.org/10.51388/20.500.12265/115