From theory bias to theory dialogue

Abstract

T he increased interest in promoting CS education for all has been coalescing around the idea of "computational thinking. " Several framings for promoting computational thinking in K-12 education have been proposed by practitioners and researchers that each place different emphases on either (1) skill and competence building, (2) creative expression and participation, or (3) social justice and ethics. We review each framing and how the framings structure the theory space of computational thinking. We then discuss how CS education can leverage the explanatory potential that each framing offers to the implementation and evaluation of learning, teaching, and tools in computing education. Our goal is to help CS education researchers, teachers, and designers unpack and leverage the complexities of this theory space (rather than ignoring it) while also addressing broader educational concerns regarding diversity, providing new directions for how students and teachers can actively participate in designing their digital futures, and directing current computing education efforts towards a more humanistic orientation.

Computational Thinking, Between Papert and Wing

“…We see in Kafai et al (2020) a position, articulated from a theoretical viewpoint, close to the one that we put forward in this paper from a historical point of view. Rather than "pitting the different framings against each other," the authors argue that all of them should be embraced in education research, because "the diversity of perspectives on computational thinking is a resource, and not a stumbling block."…”

“…6.1 Other "Avatars" of (Papert's) CT As briefly mentioned in Section 1, from the appearance of Wing (2006), CT has been the subject of significant investigation, aimed to classify its definitions, discuss the different emerging epistemologies, and give policymakers a guide for its effective inclusion in school curricula. Let us cite Lodi (2020) for a synthetic review and classification of possible definitions; see also Kafai et al (2020), which we will discuss later.…”

“…Finally, as a further witness of the relevance of Papert's view in today's debate, Kafai et al (2020) classify CS education approaches to CT along three different theoretical framings, each of them articulating specific educational goals. The first framing is cognitive CT, which "seeks to provide students with an understanding of key computational concepts, practices, and perspectives."…”

Uma Análise da Emergência de Pensamento Computacional em Práticas de Desenvolvimento de Jogos Digitais na Educação do Campo

“…Embora tal visão do PC seja muito disseminada nos meios científicos e acadêmicos, pesquisas contemporâneas têm ampliado as discussões, propondo diferentes perspectivas para se compreender e trabalhar com PC. Nesse contexto, Kafai et al [19] organizam o espaço teórico do PC sob três ênfases: cognitiva, situada e crítica. A cognitiva fornece aos estudantes uma compreensão dos principais conceitos e práticas computacionais, ressaltando, assim, a construção de habilidades e competências que serão úteis na universidade e futuras carreiras.…”

“…Embora tais habilidades possam ser desenvolvidas sob diferentes abordagens, Kafai et al [19] consideram que na ênfase cognitiva a resolução de problemas é realizada por estudantes individualmente, tais como as pesquisas para a introdução da programação realizada na década de 1980.…”