Mir’atul Khusna Mufida M.

Sc
Politeknik Negeri Batam
2015

Computational Thinking
Part 1
Overview

➔ Skill supports
➔ Fundamental knowledge of
Computational Thinking
➔ Example of CT usage
➔ Simple daily examples
Skill

➔ CT support to write small scale of

code
➔ Use precise vocabulary / tools to
be able to understand program in
some domain
➔ Why we need to understand
program?
Skills (cont)

➔ In order to build another

application above it
➔ Capability & limitation about
computation
➔ Map real problem to
computational framework
 “
Problem solving technique that
consists of decomposition of set of
possible solution for huge problem
& decompose to a little pieces
 “
The important part of CT is pattern
recognition. Output of CT is
algorithm design which covers step
of solution to overcome the
problem.
Computational Thinking
➔ Basic mindset to think like computer
scientist
➔ Consist of reading, writing, and
arithmetic
➔ Brainware need to adapt how computer
work using computational thinking
➔ Use for research and education
How Google use CT ?
Make a group consists of 3 people:
Make a resume to know
1. What the idea?
2. What the problems?
3. What the solution?
Based on youtube video : Solving problems at
Google Using Computational Thinking
Part II
 “
Specific problem solving skills like
think logically, algorithmically
and recursively
 “
It includes obviously important
skills like creativity, ability to
explain and team work
3 dimension of CT
1. Computational concept
Computational concept that are common in many programming languages
(sequence, loops, parallelism, events, conditionals, operators and data)

2. Computational Practice
Incremental and iterative, testing, debugging, reusing, remixing,
abstracting and modularizing

3. Computational Perspectives
Expressing, connecting and questioning

Brennan & Resnick

Example of CT
➔ Data collection
◆ allow to use technology to collect data (tag, FB
comments)
➔ Automation
◆ Help people to accomplish repetitive task (calculate
discount, search engine)
➔ Analysis
◆ Make sense of data, recognize trends and creating
inference
Example of CT in daily life
➔ Search name in your smartphone
◆ linear : start at top
◆ binary search : start in the middle
➔ Standing in queue
◆ Task Scheduling
➔ Cooking the gourmet meal
◆ Manage time so all food cooked perfectly and not
cold while waiting
Example of CT in daily life

➔ Storing Lego pieces

◆ Sort based on size and colour
➔ Cleaning out garage
◆ Keep only important things
◆ Throw unimportant stuff
TASK II
Make a group consists of 3 people:
Make a resume to know
1. What the idea?
2. What the problems?
3. What the solution?
Task description

Based on youtube video : Facilitating

Software and Game Development
through Abstraction (Odd teams)

Based on youtube video : Improving the

world’s videos with Algorithm and the
Internet (Even teams)
Part III
Complex problem?

“
At first glance, it is hard to
understand and we don’t know how
to solve
4 Cornerstone of CT
 “
Each cornerstone is as important as
the others. Correctly applying all
techniques will help when
programming on computer.
Computational Thinking
➔ Decomposition : breaking down a complex problem
or system into smaller more manageable solution.

➔ Abstraction : Focussing on the important information

only and ignoring irrelevant details

➔ Pattern recognition : Looking for similarities within

problems

➔ Algorithm Design : Developing step by step solution

or rules to solve the problem
 “
the algorithm and rules that is used
to program a computer to help solve
the complex problem in the best
way
Thinking Computationally

➔ is not programming
➔ is not thinking like computer
➔ programming is telling computer
what to do and how to do it.
➔ enable to give an idea what to tell
the computer to do
 CT Illustration in real world

➔ Meet someone in a certain place where you never

been before
➔ Plan the route to go to the destination.
➔ Consider the routes possible and choose which route
is the “best”
CT
➔ It can be the shortest path, quickest, or path which
past by favorite shop in the way
➔ Than just follow step by step direction to get there
programming
CT as a team work problem
➔ Your group like different things
➔ what you could do
➔ where you could go
➔ who wants to do what
➔ what you have previously done that has
been a success in the past
➔ how much money you have and the cost of
any of the options
➔ what the weather might be doing
➔ how much time you have
CT for Games
➔ what items you need to collect, how you can
collect them, and how long you have in which to
collect them
➔ where the exit is and the best route to reach it in
the quickest time possible
➔ what kinds of enemies there are and their weak
points
Game design with CT Aspects
CT aspects
➔ Decomposition : game > how to win, where to go,
what a mission.
➔ Abstraction : Location of exit, enemies, hole.
➔ Pattern recognition : same solution to
accomplish a level
➔ Algorithm : step-by-step plan of actions
Part IV
 “
Collection of diverse skills to
do with problem solving that
result from studying the nature of
computation.
 “
Way where we use the technology
today to solve the problem we
encounter in daily life
CT concept and approaches
Characteristic of CT
➔ Formulating problems in the way that enable us to use
computer and other tools to help solve them.
➔ Logically organizing and analyzing data
➔ Representing data through abstractions (model and
simulation)
Characteristic of CT
➔ Automating solutions through algorithmic thinking (a
series of ordered steps)
➔ Identifying, analyzing, testing and implementing possible
solutions with the goal of achieving the most efficient and
effective combination of steps and resources
➔ Generalizing and transferring this problem solving
process to a wide variety of problems
Examples

Brain science
➔ Modeling brain as computer
➔ Vision as feedback loop
➔ Analyzing fMRI data with machine
learning
Geology

➔ Modeling the earth’s surface to the sun,

from the inner core to the surface
➔ Abstraction boundaries and hierarchies of
complexity model the earth and our
atmosphere
Medical, Economie and Social

➔ Scientific visualization enables

virtual colonoscopy
➔ Automatic design underlies e-
commerce
➔ Statistical machine learning for
recommendation and reputation
services ie. Netflix
Astronomy, engineering

➔ Sloan digital Sky server brings

telescope to every children
➔ Boeing 777 tested via computer
simulation alone not in a wind
tunnel
Reference
1. http://csta.acm.org/Curriculum/sub/CurrFiles/CompThinkingFlyer.pdf
2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/guides/zp92mp3/revision/2
3. http://barefootcas.org.uk/barefoot-primary-computing-resources/concepts/computational-thinking/
4. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/12/28/article-http://www.dailymail.co.
uk/sciencetech/article-1342239/Brain-study-reveals-right-wing-conservatives-larger-primitive-amygdala.html
5.