New framework for assessing the development of computational thinking

Abstract

Several study of educational research (Wing, 2006; Papert, 1975, 1981; Wilensky, 2001; Wilensky e Reisman,2006; Wilensky e Resnik, 1999; Kolodner et all, 2003; Puntambekar and Kolodner, 2005; Y. Kali and M.C. Linn, 2009; Linn,
H.S. Lee, Tinker, Husic, and Chiu, 2006, Kafai, 2006; Kafai and Ching, 2001) have shown that there is little agreement about what computational thinking encompasses, and even less agreement about strategies for assessing the development of computational thinking in young people. We are interested in the ways that design-based learning activities – in particular, programming interactive media – support the development of computational thinking in
young people. Our context is Scratch – a programming environment that enables young people to create their own interactive stories, games, and simulations, and then share those creations in an online community with other
young programmers from around the world.
The first part of the paper describes the key dimensions of our computational thinking framework: computational concepts (the concepts designers engage with as they program, such as iteration, parallelism, etc.), computational
practices (the practices designers develop as they engage with the concepts, such as debugging projects or remixing others’ work), and computational perspectives (the perspectives designers form about the world around
them and about themselves). The second part of the paper describes our evolving approach to assessing these dimensions, including artifact-based interviews, and design scenarios. We end with a set of suggestions for assessing
the learning that takes place when young people engage in programming.