Using Computational Thinking as a workflow sequence

Follow a Computational Thinking sequence to create a story recount.

The Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies is not all about digital devices. One of the key ideas is Computational thinking, a problem-solving method for creating solutions that can be implemented using digital technologies. It gives us a framework to align Digital Technologies with literacy and numeracy. The digital device is secondary to the thinking.

Computational thinking involves logically organising data, breaking down problems into parts, interpreting patterns and models and designing and implementing algorithms.

Taking a closer look, we ask students to use Decomposition, which is the breaking down of problems into parts, so they are easier to solve. Students then organise and analyse data through the use of Pattern recognition to look for patterns to make sense of data. We encourage students to use Abstraction to remove unnecessary details and focus on important data. Next, students use Modelling and simulation to create models or simulations to represent processes. This part of the workflow often incorporates Systems Thinking whereby students look at the interconnectedness of the elements at play in their solutions.

With the problem broken down into parts and the data organised logically, we ask students to create Algorithms, a series of ordered steps taken to solve a problem. Once they’ve created an algorithm, they apply it to create a solution.

Finally, students use Evaluation to determine the effectiveness of their solution, generalise and recognise where they could apply their solution to new problems. Download our Computational Thinking poster.

This might all sound very complicated but when looked at through the lens of Literacy and/or Numeracy, it starts to make perfect sense. The following example shows Computational thinking used as a framework for a literacy activity with opportunities for numeracy practice to be included.

Task:

Create a recount of ‘a day in my school@home life’ during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Step 1: Decomposition – Break the day into parts. For example, before school work, morning session, afternoon session, after school work activities, family time.

Step 2: Pattern recognition – look for easily recordable chunks of time. For example, start recording the parts at 7am. Record chunks of time in 2-hour slots with breaks in-between. Part 1: 7-9am; Part 2: 9am-11am; Part 3: 12noon-2pm; Part 4: 3pm-5pm; Part 5: 5pm-7pm

Step 3: Abstraction – focus on the important parts of each session. The diary entry doesn’t have to be a blow-by-blow account including every detail. Record main activities as dot points. For example,

7-9am

• eat breakfast

• brush teeth

• get dressed

9-11am

• English

• HASS/LOTE lessons

12-2pm

• Maths

• Science/Technology lessons

3-5pm

• Music/Arts practice

• Exercise

5-7pm

• play

• eat dinner

• shower and brush teeth

• read

Step 4: Modelling and Simulation – organise the dot points into a table showing the activities as a timetable. This way of presenting the data is an easily recognisable format. Students would use a ruler and measure during this drawing activity or create the table using a digital device.

Step 5: Algorithms – create a series of ordered steps to tell the story in an interesting and entertaining way. At the moment, the recount is very dry. Now we give the opportunity for the student to incorporate some good writing conventions such as a sizzling start, tighten the tension, add dialogue or a funny anecdote and end with impact.

For students with access to digital devices, this is a great opportunity to get the students to create a multi-modal text using PowerPoint with clickable hyperlinks or a visual programming language such as Scratch Jr or Scratch. They can program animations, turn their days into alternate realities where different outcomes occur within their ordinary day. Give the students opportunities to be creative and incorporate decision making and repetition, depending on their age and ability.

Step 6: Evaluation – as students create their ‘day in my school@home life’ story using their preferred software they can incorporate the skill of generalisation whereby they recognise repetitive code and reuse or create functions out of frequently used code sequences. Here is an example of a day in my school@home life co-created by DTiF Curriculum Officers, Sarah Atkins and by Deanne Poole. The example shown was programmed in Scratch Jr. Please note you will need to view this from the Scratch Jr app.

Part 1 Part 2

When you take the focus off the devices and concentrate on working through a computational thinking process as a workflow, it’s not hard to find ways of incorporating literacy and numeracy into Digital Technologies. This project could be created over a series of days or weeks depending upon the age of the student with the requirement for greater sophistication for students in higher grades. You’ll find more classroom ideas on the DTiF section of the Australian Curriculum website. We also have information on teaching remotely on our COVID-19 support page.