MA DESE Digital Literacy Frameworks

Computational Thinking Practices ( https://sites.google.com/view/utahcodingproject/home )

Coding activities  allow students to "develop the skills of a computer scientist though the development of Computational Thinking Practices". (Code.org's, K-5 Fundamentals Curriculum Guide, page 2.)

• Creativity

• Collaboration

• Communication

• Problem Solving

• Persistence

Programming Structures

• Sequence — one line of code following another

• Loops — allow a program to repeat a section of code a given number of times or while a certain condition is true

• Conditionals — decisions or if...then...else statements that allow the program to make a decision based on a given condition

• Functions — the ability to create new statements in the code by giving the code a name that can be used elsewhere in the program

• Events — the ability of the software to interrupt any other parts of the program and to run the code based on the event, such as, the clicking of a button in the program

1. Creating 

Digital literacy and computer science are disciplines in which students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative artifacts and processes using technology. Students engage in the creative aspects of computing by designing and developing interesting computational artifacts and by applying techniques to creatively solve problems. 

Skills include: 

• Creating artifacts or computational projects with practical, personal, and/or social intent; 

• Selecting appropriate methods, paths, or techniques to develop artifacts; 

• Using appropriate algorithmic and information-management principles and/or digital tools; 

• Applying critical thinking, digital tools, and technology to solve problems; 

• Making ethical and responsible choices in selecting tools, information, and media to create and share artifacts; and 

• Reviewing, revising, and iterating work to create high-quality artifacts. 

2. Connecting 

Developments in computing have far-reaching effects on society and have led to significant innovations. The developments have implications for individuals, society, commercial markets, and innovation. Students study their effects and draw connections between different computing concepts.

 Skills include: 

• Describing the impact of computing on society (humanity), economies, laws, and histories; and 

• Distinguishing between ethical and unethical practices with respect to safe and responsible use of information, data, media, and computing devices. 

3. Abstracting 

Computational thinking requires understanding and applying abstraction at multiple levels. Students use abstraction to develop models and to classify and manage information.

 Skills include: 

• Identifying abstractions; 

• Describing modeling in a computational context; 

• Using abstraction and decomposition when addressing complex tasks or designing complex systems; 

• Classifying data into groups and hierarchies; and 

• Identifying attributes (properties) of the data groups. 

4. Analyzing 

Students use critical thinking and analytical skills to locate, evaluate, and analyze information, information sources, their own computational artifacts, and the computational artifacts others have produced.

 Skills include: 

• Asking questions to define a problem or information need; 

• Describing and articulating a problem or information need; 

• Evaluating information sources, research, data, proposed solutions, models, or prototypes; 

• Identifying ways to improve solutions or information quality; and 

• Selecting and justifying appropriateness, precision, or quality of “best” solutions and information sources. 

5. Communicating 

Communication is the expression and exchange of information between two or more people. Communication includes written and oral mediums, as well as tangible representations supported by graphs, visualizations, demonstrations, stories, and analysis. Effective communication is accurate, clear, concise, persuasive, and responsible.

 Skills include: 

• Evaluating various digital tools for best expression of a particular idea or set of information; 

• Selecting and using digital media and tools to communicate effectively; 

• Communicating to or with different audiences; 

• Describing computation with accurate and precise language, notations, or visualizations where relevant; 

• Summarizing the purpose of a proposed solution, model, prototype, or computational artifact; 

• Justifying the design, appropriateness of choices, and selection of a solution; and 

• Communicating responsibly, such as respecting intellectual property. 

6. Collaborating 

People working collaboratively in teams, locally or globally, can often achieve more than individuals working alone. Effective collaboration draws on diverse perspectives, skills, knowledge, and dispositions to address complex and open-ended problems or goals. 

Skills include: 

• Collaborating with others to conduct research, solve a computational problem, or developing digital artifacts; 

• Collaborating with others to create computational artifacts, computational projects, or digital by-products; and 

• Exchanging knowledge and feedback with a partner or team member.