Computer Science and Computational Thinking, Esercizi di Fondamenti di informatica

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Computer Science and Computational Thinking

Università degli studi di Verona

LATTANZI BEATRICE

1. Computer science, what is it?

Computer science was born in the 1950's, but there is not a unique definition, different

definitions are given by focusing on the different aspects of this discipline. Indeed,

computer science is a discipline combining characteristics of mathematics, science and

engineering. These, for example, are manifested in algorithmic problem-solving

processes, for which computational thinking skills (Wing 2006), and sometimes also

artistic and creative thinking, are required. According to Informatic Europe:

“Informatics is a distinct scientific discipline. It covers the foundations of

computational structures, processes, artefacts and systems; and their software designs,

their applications, and their impact on society.” Moreover, the European synonym for

computer science, informatics, explains that this discipline is about information

processes, not computers. Computer scientists study information processes both

artificial and natural, they use predictions and verifications. It helps other scientists in

their fields too: physicists explain particle behaviour with quantum information

processes or verify their theories with computer simulation experiments;

pharmaceutical and materials labs study and create molecules through computer

simulations of the information processes underlying chemical compositions.

Informatics includes the objective and precise analysis of information and its meaning;

it studies the impact of information organizational and societal issues, such as

communication, security, and privacy which are also essential to a broad understanding

of information. Computer science is about conceptual ideas, whereas the computer

serves as a means or a tool for solving computer science problems. Programming

course or a course focused solely on computational thinking are components of this

discipline.

2. Computational Thinking

Computational Thinking is a concept introduced by Jeanette Wing in 2006 in her “Viewpont” published in the Communications of the ACM in March 2006. The term "computational thinking" has been used firstly by Seymour Papert in his book Mindstorms; Prof. Jeannette Wing rendered populate the idea by arguing that computational thinking should be part of the skills of all students. The definition of this

add’ two stacks as for two integer; consider, now, the algorithm which is an abstraction of process: it takes inputs, makes a sequence of precisely steps, and produces outputs to satisfy a wanted target, but what is the meaning in combing two or more algorithms? And what about the programming language? It is an abstraction of a set of strings, when they are interpreted it obtained some computation. How to connect two programming languages in order to obtained efficient results? In addition, computer systems are bound to the information processing machine and its operating environment. There is also the unpredictable nature of the real world to consider. Indeed, happens that the disk is full, or the server is not responding. The computational thought plays a fundamental role. Indeed, the key is to find the right abstraction, deciding what are the things to highlight and what are to can ignore. Thanks to abstraction it can be possible deal with complexity of problems. Applying abstraction recursively, it is possible to analyse and modelizer complex and multi-level system. So, the systems in terms of abstraction are built by focusing on one layer at a time and on the formal relations as "use," "refine" or "implement," "simulate"..., between adjacent layers. When a program in a high-level language is write, firstly lower layers of abstractions are built. The details of the underlying hardware, the operating system, the file system, or the network are not so important. Then, the informatic- computing systems are constrained by the physics of the underlying information-processing machine and its operating environment and the unpredictability of the real world. Indeed, happens that the disk is full or the server is not responding. The key is to find the right abstraction, “deciding what details we need to highlight and what details we can ignore, underlies computational thinking.” Finally, according Dr Anna Lamprou, computational thinking plays a key role in teaching computer science, as the other disciplines too; it could transform the teaching of this discipline, make it something easy and exciting. The skills acquired thanks to computational thinking make the study and learning of computer science much easier. Allows students to face problems, breaking them down into solvable pieces and algorithms to solve them.

1. Wing, J.M “Computational thinking and thinking about computing” , Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A (2008) 366, 3717–
2. Wing, J. M. “ Computational thinking.” Commun. ACM March 2006/Vol. 49
3. Wing, J. M “Research Notebook: Computational Thinking--What and Why?”, The link (The magazine of Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science), November 2010 https://www.cs.cmu.edu/link/research-notebook-computational-thinking-what-and-why
4. Peter J.Denning, “Is computer science science?” Commun. ACM April 2005/Vol. 48