Skill Development

Computer Science 

What is it?

Computer science is the art of blending human ideas and digital tools to increase problem solving power. With applications ranging from creating art and music to saving lives, computer science is becoming an integral part of all innovative thoughts and ideas. By influencing students to identify a problem and then providing the technical skills necessary to solve the problem, computer science is a means for causing positive change in the world.

Computational thinking

Bold Idea uses the operational definition for computational thinking that was written by the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) and International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE). Computational thinking is a problem-solving process that includes (but is not limited to) the following characteristics:

  • Formulating problems in a way that enables us to use a computer and other tools to help solve them

  • Logically organizing and analyzing data to draw conclusions

  • Representing data through abstractions such as models and simulations

  • Automating solutions through algorithmic thinking (a series of ordered steps)

  • Identifying, analyzing 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

Google for Education follows a similar definition dividing computational thinking into four parts:

  1. Decomposition: Breaking down a big problem into the smaller problems that make it up

  2. Pattern recognition: Finding similarities between things

  3. Pattern generalization and abstraction: Pulling out differences to make one solution work for multiple problems

  4. Algorithm design: A list of steps that you can follow to finish a task

Computational thinking is essential to the development of computer applications, but it can also be used to support problem solving across all disciplines, including math, science and the humanities.

21st Century Skill Development

Critical thinking & Problem solving

  • Students show confidence in dealing with complexity and ambiguity

  • Students demonstrate persistence in working with difficult problems

  • Students can clearly articulate problems they encounter

  • Students can seek outside sources of information when they don't know the answer to a problem

  • Students can independently choose appropriate problem-solving strategies

Initiative & Self-Direction

  • Students can direct their own learning and are motivated to continue learning

  • Students are able to challenge themselves

  • Students are able to set goals

  • Students are able to use tools and processes to plan and prioritize tasks required to achieve a goal

  • Students seek help when needed instead of abandoning a task

Discovery & Inquiry

  • Students can formulate their own questions

  • Students can identify high quality questions

  • Students can gather and evaluate information from different sources

  • Students can decide which information is relevant and if they have enough

Creative thinking & innovation

  • Students can generate multiple original ideas

  • Students can evaluate the quality of ideas and select the best to shape into a product

  • Students use ingenuity and imagination, going outside conventional boundaries, when shaping ideas into a product

  • Students can take different perspectives to elaborate and improve on ideas

Collaboration

  • Students can communicate and work with others to achieve a common goal or solution

  • Students can consider the ideas of others without judging or criticizing

  • Students can effectively share and explain their ideas

  • Students can take and apply feedback from their peers

  • Students participate in creating a positive learning environment for others