Computational Thinking in K-12: Defining the Space
“Computational thinking is creating and making use of different levels of abstraction to understand and solve problems more effectively; thinking algorithmically; and understanding the consequences of scale” (Carnegie Mellon University Center for Computational Thinking). Many educators simply say that computational thinking means thinking like a computer scientist. What does that mean for youth who have access to sophisticated technology tools and systems in school and during out of school time? Why is this emerging as an important issue in Workforce Education? This paper will help to provide a theoretical framework for defining Computational Thinking and explore what Computational Thinking looks like in the K-12 experience, present the workforce education implication of nurturing Computational Thinking throughout the K-12 experience, and offer examples of assessment strategies designed to measure Computational Thinking among middle school students.