A decade of discourse to capture the essence of computational thinking (CT) has resulted in a set of skills whose teaching at the K-12 level poses many challenges because of the reliance on the use of electronic computers and programming concepts that are often found too abstract and difficult by young students. This article attempts to link cognition to basic computational processes, particularly modeling and simulation that is known to facilitate deductive and inductive inquiries by scientists for decades. Empirical data from a quasi-experimental study in 15 secondary schools suggests a similar impact on student learning. This is consistent with learning theories that students learn science in the way that scientists think and work. In this article, we offer a viewpoint on the essence of CT and suggest that we teach students relevant cognitive habits prior to teaching them electronic CT skills. This will not only improve their critical thinking skills but also their motivation and readiness to learn electronic CT skills.
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9474-8137
State University of New York, Brockport
[biography]
Osman Yasar is an endowed professor and director of the CMST Institute at The College at Brockport, SUNY. He established the first undergraduate degree program in computational science in the United States and developed a computational pedagogical content knowledge (CPACK) framework for teacher education. His research interests include engineering and science education, computational pedagogy, computational and scientific thinking as well as fluid dynamics, engine ignition modeling, and parallel computing. Yasar has a PhD in engineering physics and a MS in computer science and in nuclear engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He graduated with a BS in engineering physics and a MS in theoretical physics from Hacettepe University in Turkey. Contact him at oyasar@brockport.edu.
Jose Maliekal is the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at The College at Brockport, State University of New York. He is an atmospheric scientist and have been teaching meteorology and climatology courses. His research interests include climate change and computational pedagogy.
Address: School of Arts and Sciences, The College at Brockport, Brockport, NY 14420 Phone: 585-395-5598 Email: jmalieka@brockport.edu
Peter Veronesi is an Associate Professor and program coordinator of science education for the Adolescence Science Education programs at The College at Brockport.
Leigh Little received his doctorate in Mathematics from Arizona State University. He is currently a member of the Department of Earth Sciences at SUNY Brockport.
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