Computational thinking is an interrelated set of skills and practices for solving complex problems, a way to learn topics in many disciplines and a necessity for fully participating in a computational world.
Read this article for more details: What is Computational Thinking?
Watch the video below for a brief introduction to computational thinking.
Teaching computational thinking could focus on the following components:
Component#1: CT Skills
Decomposition: Breaking down data, processes, or problems into smaller, manageable parts
Pattern Recognition: Observing patterns, trends, and regularities in data
Abstraction: Making a problem more understandable by reducing unnecessary detail
Algorithm Design: Developing the step by step instructions for solving this and similar problems
Component#2: CT Attitudes
Confident: believing in one's own ability to solve problems
Communicative: willing and able to communicate effectively with others
Flexible: able to deal with change and open-ended problems
Component#3: CT Approaches
Tinkering: experimenting and playing
Creating: designing and making
Debugging: finding and fixing errors
Persevering: keep trying
Collaborating: working together
See more details in Computational Thinking
Making Connections: Provide students opportunities to explore questions and then design solutions that relate to their real-world experiences.
Examining Structures in Society: Prompt students to express, share, and discuss the inequality experiences related to computer science they may or may not be a part of.
Creating Artifacts: Encourage students to develop various computational products that align with learning objectives.
Design, Refine, and Assess Computational Products: Let the students collaborate with peers to identify problems, design solutions, troubleshoot, share, revise computational artifacts, and elicit multiple perspectives from users with diverse backgrounds.
Using UDL Strategies: Design instructional materials that employ UDL strategies.
See more details and examples at Inclusive Integration of Computational Thinking
Unplugged activities are activities that teach computational thinking components without using a computer.
Resources:
CS Unplugged: https://www.csunplugged.org/en/
Code.org Fundamentals Unplugged: https://code.org/curriculum/unplugged
Classic CS Unplugged: https://classic.csunplugged.org/
CS First Unplugged: https://csfirst.withgoogle.com/c/cs-first/en/cs-first-unplugged/overview.html