Focusing on school: how to train the ability to reason, even creatively.
Scientific journalist Simona Regina has dedicated an article to computational thinking on Focus scuola. In her clear and synthetic argumentation, she also quotes Alfonso Molina, Personal Chair in Technology Strategy at the University of Edinburgh and Scientific Director of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale.
Computational thinking drives the development of logical and problem-solving abilities in a creative and efficient manner. It is an approach that allows children to learn and simplify problems, thinking outside of the box to reach a solution. For Alfonso Molina, co-founder and Scientific Director of the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, “it is a set of mental capabilities that simplifies complex problems. It’s a way of thinking algorithmically as it leads to the identification of a procedure, a precise sequence of instructions, the set of rules that must be followed to complete a task.”
Think about making a bread and jam sandwich or the actions necessary to tie your shoelaces. These are examples of algorithms in daily life. Indeed, an alogrithm is the sequence of operations that must be completed to solve a given problem. So, even by writing out a simple recipe and then following it, carefully following the instructions, children experience the “intuitiveness” of an algorithm with inputs (ingredients), steps (recipe instructions), and output (sandwich), thereby learning the fundamental concepts of programming.
This is why UNESCO has asked that member states “integrate the scientific fundamentals of IT into the general education of all citizens” (Paris Call: Software Source Code as Heritage for Sustainable Development). As Prof. Molina points out: “digital technology has already changed the way we live, travel, study, and work. And it will continue do so in the future. Digital skills will be increasingly necessary for any type of job. Moreover, addressing issues algorithmically develops logical thinking and thereby the ability to reason.”
Computational Thinking and Coding: Practicing at School
Simona Regina
Focus Scuola, Sept. 5
