Educational Computing And Problem Solving

First published in 1988. Professionals who are on the cutting edge of educational computing discuss, in this provocative new book, one of the most exciting prospects of the field--harnessing the power of the computer to enhance the development of problem-solving abilities. Here is everything that educators will need to know to use computers to improve higher level skills such as problem solving and critical thinking. Current aspects of problem-solving theory, a philosophical case for including programming languages in the curriculum, state-of-the-art research on computers and problem solving, and a look at problem-solving software are included in this comprehensive volume. The research and its application to instruction are grounded in problem-solving theory--making this book a unique and critical addition to the existing literature.

For Computers in Education and Instructional Technology courses. This text describes the computer as a necessary classroom tool that not only empowers teachers to teach their students to use computers to solve problems, but also shows teachers how to do the same. The text explains technical matters in language that's understandable to the non-computer savvy, and includes numerous examples drawn from both PC/Windows and Macintosh platforms. The authors use problem-solving models to clarify specific applications, and incorporate national/international standards to create a text that works across a broad educational spectrum. The inspiration for this readable, student-friendly text is the idea that technology should be a means to an end, not the focus of attention.

First published in 1988. Professionals who are on the cutting edge of educational computing discuss, in this provocative new book, one of the most exciting prospects of the field--harnessing the power of the computer to enhance the development of problem-solving abilities. Here is everything that educators will need to know to use computers to improve higher level skills such as problem solving and critical thinking. Current aspects of problem-solving theory, a philosophical case for including programming languages in the curriculum, state-of-the-art research on computers and problem solving, and a look at problem-solving software are included in this comprehensive volume. The research and its application to instruction are grounded in problem-solving theory--making this book a unique and critical addition to the existing literature.

This text focuses on general concepts, theory, and research on teaching, learning, and technology rather than on hands-on assignments at the computer. This book is most suitable for courses where students already have basic computing skills and the focus is on issues of integration of technology in the classroom, or for courses where computing skills are taught simultaneously with the concepts, issues, and theories of integration. This text is geared toward answering the question: "What would a teacher do differently if she/he used computers in her/his classroom?" The book links actual practice to underlying theories of both teaching and learning. It helps students develop their own framework for thinking about educational computing.

Most would agree that the acquisition of problem-solving ability is a primary goal of education. The emergence of the new information technologiesin the last ten years has raised high expectations with respect to the possibilities of the computer as an instructional tool for enhancing students' problem-solving skills. This volume is the first to assemble, review, and discuss the theoretical, methodological, and developmental knowledge relating to this topical issue in a multidisciplinary confrontation of highly recommended experts in cognitive science, computer science, educational technology, and instructional psychology. Contributors describe the most recent results and the most advanced methodological approaches relating to the application of the computer for encouraging knowledge construction, stimulating higher-order thinking and problem solving, and creating powerfullearning environments for pursuing those objectives. The computer applications relate to a variety of content domains and age levels.

A guide to computational thinking education, with a focus on artificial intelligence literacy and the integration of computing and physical objects. Computing has become an essential part of today’s primary and secondary school curricula. In recent years, K–12 computer education has shifted from computer science itself to the broader perspective of computational thinking (CT), which is less about technology than a way of thinking and solving problems—“a fundamental skill for everyone, not just computer scientists,” in the words of Jeanette Wing, author of a foundational article on CT. This volume introduces a variety of approaches to CT in K–12 education, offering a wide range of international perspectives that focus on artificial intelligence (AI) literacy and the integration of computing and physical objects. The book first offers an overview of CT and its importance in K–12 education, covering such topics as the rationale for teaching CT; programming as a general problem-solving skill; and the “phenomenon-based learning” approach. It then addresses the educational implications of the explosion in AI research, discussing, among other things, the importance of teaching children to be conscientious designers and consumers of AI. Finally, the book examines the increasing influence of physical devices in CT education, considering the learning opportunities offered by robotics. Contributors Harold Abelson, Cynthia Breazeal, Karen Brennan, Michael E. Caspersen, Christian Dindler, Daniella DiPaola, Nardie Fanchamps, Christina Gardner-McCune, Mark Guzdial, Kai Hakkarainen, Fredrik Heintz, Paul Hennissen, H. Ulrich Hoppe, Ole Sejer Iversen, Siu-Cheung Kong, Wai-Ying Kwok, Sven Manske, Jesús Moreno-León, Blakeley H. Payne, Sini Riikonen, Gregorio Robles, Marcos Román-González, Pirita Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, Ju-Ling Shih, Pasi Silander, Lou Slangen, Rachel Charlotte Smith, Marcus Specht, Florence R. Sullivan, David S. Touretzky

While the growth of computational thinking has brought new awareness to the importance of computing education, it has also created new challenges. Many educational initiatives focus solely on the programming aspects, such as variables, loops, conditionals, parallelism, operators, and data handling, divorcing computing from real-world contexts and applications. This decontextualization threatens to make learners believe that they do not need to learn computing, as they cannot envision a future in which they will need to use it, just as many see math and physics education as unnecessary. The Handbook of Research on Tools for Teaching Computational Thinking in P-12 Education is a cutting-edge research publication that examines the implementation of computational thinking into school curriculum in order to develop creative problem-solving skills and to build a computational identity which will allow for future STEM growth. Moreover, the book advocates for a new approach to computing education that argues that while learning about computing, young people should also have opportunities to create with computing, which will have a direct impact on their lives and their communities. Featuring a wide range of topics such as assessment, digital teaching, and educational robotics, this book is ideal for academicians, instructional designers, teachers, education professionals, administrators, researchers, and students.

Computational technologies have been impacting human life for years. Teaching methods must adapt accordingly to provide the next generation with the necessary knowledge to further advance these human-assistive technologies. Teaching Computational Thinking in Primary Education is a crucial resource that examines the impact that instructing with a computational focus can have on future learners. Highlighting relevant topics that include multifaceted skillsets, coding, programming methods, and digital games, this scholarly publication is ideal for educators, academicians, students, and researchers who are interested in discovering how the future of education is being shaped.

The eight papers presented in this monograph are a result of the Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Research Workshop that was held in conjunction with the 1990 National Educational Computing Conference (NECC). The intent of the workshop was to provide a unique forum for researchers to share ideas in a special area of educational computing. The monograph provides an overview of the general issues of problem solving and critical thinking in education as well as specialized areas of interest in intelligent tutoring and program construction. The papers included in this monograph are: (1) "Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, and Computing: An Overview" (Cathleen A. Norris and James L. Poirot); (2) "'Mindstorms' Revisited: Computers, Problem Solving, and Knowledge-based Instruction" (Karen Swan); (3) "Defining Programming and Logo as Vehicles for Developing Higher Order Thinking Skills" (Jim Dunne); (4) "Abstracted Knowledge: A Mid-Road Transfer Approach to Critical Thinking" (Clifton S. Harris); (5) "Resolving the Impasse in Software Engineering: Problem Solving in Program Construction" (Warren Moseley); (6) "Critical Thinking and Intelligent Tutoring Systems" (James T. Streib); (7) "Critical Thinking and Open Courseware" (Eduardo Rivera); and (8) "'What Can We Learn from Each Other's Experiences?': Observations of a Research-Oriented Workshop by a Classroom Teacher" (Sylvia Robinson). References are included with most papers. (ALF)

A guide to computational thinking education, with a focus on artificial intelligence literacy and the integration of computing and physical objects. Computing has become an essential part of today’s primary and secondary school curricula. In recent years, K–12 computer education has shifted from computer science itself to the broader perspective of computational thinking (CT), which is less about technology than a way of thinking and solving problems—“a fundamental skill for everyone, not just computer scientists,” in the words of Jeanette Wing, author of a foundational article on CT. This volume introduces a variety of approaches to CT in K–12 education, offering a wide range of international perspectives that focus on artificial intelligence (AI) literacy and the integration of computing and physical objects. The book first offers an overview of CT and its importance in K–12 education, covering such topics as the rationale for teaching CT; programming as a general problem-solving skill; and the “phenomenon-based learning” approach. It then addresses the educational implications of the explosion in AI research, discussing, among other things, the importance of teaching children to be conscientious designers and consumers of AI. Finally, the book examines the increasing influence of physical devices in CT education, considering the learning opportunities offered by robotics. Contributors Harold Abelson, Cynthia Breazeal, Karen Brennan, Michael E. Caspersen, Christian Dindler, Daniella DiPaola, Nardie Fanchamps, Christina Gardner-McCune, Mark Guzdial, Kai Hakkarainen, Fredrik Heintz, Paul Hennissen, H. Ulrich Hoppe, Ole Sejer Iversen, Siu-Cheung Kong, Wai-Ying Kwok, Sven Manske, Jesús Moreno-León, Blakeley H. Payne, Sini Riikonen, Gregorio Robles, Marcos Román-González, Pirita Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, Ju-Ling Shih, Pasi Silander, Lou Slangen, Rachel Charlotte Smith, Marcus Specht, Florence R. Sullivan, David S. Touretzky