Abstract
This chapter begins by arguing that computational thinking and coding should be included as two more C's in the Partnership for 21st Century Learning's list of essential skills. It does so by examining how coding and computational thinking can be used to manipulate people. It argues that gaming uses all the C's, including the two new ones proposed. It then explores connections between playing video games and computer programming. It claims that game-based learning would be an optimal way to leverage these connections to teach coding and describes ways in which to do so, including specific challenges that could be included in game-based learning and a sequence of introducing them so students can “level up.” It briefly examines different coding games and describes ways in which educators can create their own coding games. It concludes by arguing that educators can make the connections between gamer thinking and computational thinking visible, use games designed to teach coding, or create their own coding games to take advantage of near transfer.
Top21St Century Skills
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills established in 2001 brought together educators, business leaders, and policy makers to explore and advocate for skills students will need to survive and thrive in their education, careers, and life in the technology-driven world of the 21st century. They organized their framework around four C’s essential for success in the 21st century: Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity. I propose that two more C’s be added: Computational Thinking and Coding.
Computational thinking is a term attributed to Wing (2006), which she defines as involving, “solving problems, designing systems, and understanding human behavior, by drawing on the concepts fundamental to computer science” (p. 33). Vaidyanathan (2016) describes this type of thinker as:
One who collects data and analyzes it to understand the problem. That person then decomposes (breaks it down) into simpler problems. Instead of solving only that problem, you look for patterns, remove details and abstract so you can solve all problems of that type. You define the steps to solve the problem (the algorithm) and if possible, build a model to simulate, test and debug the solution.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Computational Thinking: Computational thinking comprises the types of strategies used to code computers and can be applied outside of computer programming with the goal of efficiency and elegance, i.e., doing a lot with a little.
Coding: Coding, also called computer programming, consists of composing a series of commands with the expectation that a computer or some other sort of technology will later execute those commands.
Algorithms: Algorithms are a repeated set of actions that can be applied in multiple situations.
Functions: Functions are when coders separate out an algorithm from the main code and give that algorithm a name that they then use to call up that function over and over again as it is used throughout the computer program.
Object-Oriented Programming: Object-oriented programming refers to programming languages where coders define objects by their attributes and behaviors and can then use those objects to build other objects.
Decomposition: Decomposition involves breaking a task into its component parts, often, like Russian nesting dolls, into smaller and smaller sized tasks in order to make coding manageable.
Avatars: Avatars are on-screen characters, whether animal, human, zombie, or object, that are controlled in real time by a human, as opposed to agents which are pre-programmed by a human and controlled by computer code, often in response to avatars’ actions.
Leveling Up: Leveling up is when someone, or something, masters a skill and then moves to higher level of challenge.
Sequencing: Sequencing means placing items in an order that accomplishes a goal.
Game: A game is play, or experimenting with something by testing its boundaries within a rule set, that has an end goal.