What is Computational Thinking?

Computational Thinking (CT) is the process of formulating a problem, finding a solution to the problem and expressing it in such a way that humans or machines can understand the solution. It involves the use of problem-solving methods to decompose the problem into smaller manageable subproblems, identifying the right abstractions so as to deal with scale and complexity, finding existing patterns or models that can be adapted, building an algorithm to solve the problem and in case of multiple solutions; analysing the solutions on multiple parameters to identify the one that best meets the given situation.
The primary goal of teaching CT is to develop the ability to solve problems. Experts feel that this does not require the use of computers and can be taught as a series of interesting, engaging and fun activities. This avoids confusing computer science with programming or learning application software, makes the activities available to those children who do not have access to computers, and overcomes the hurdle of having to learn to program before being able to explore ideas and articulating solutions as algorithms. Students soon realise that they are capable of finding solutions to problems on their own, rather than being given a solution to apply to the problem. For example, children can play the game of Tic-Tac-Toe and then develop the rules of the game and winning strategies from their observation.

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