Learning Computational
Thinking through VIEW
Shiyong Lu
Department of Computer Science
Wayne State University
shiyong@wayne.edu
What is computational thinking?
 "Computational Thinking is the thought
processes involved in formulating problems
and their solutions so that the solutions are
represented in a form that can be effectively
carried out by an information-processing
agent. (Cuny, Snyder, Wing)
 Thinking skills, not programming skills, as
fundamental as reading and writing in today’s
society,
 For each field and everybody, not just for
computer professionals.
What is VIEW?
 A free online e-learning gateway for computational
thinking for K-12 students
 Innovation of VIEW: represent computational thinking
as visual scientific workflows, thinking becomes dragand-drop and connecting…
 One can learn many computational thinking through
VIEW: elementary arithmetic, Boolean algebra,
relational algebra, and more…
 But how?
VIEW 1-2-3
Step 1: Drag and drop inputs and outputs, and computational modules
VIEW 1-2-3
Step 2: Link them into a scientific workflow
VIEW 1-2-3
Step 3: Click the run button, you get the result!
VIEW 1-2-3
Step 3: Click the run button, you get the result!
Kids Play VIEW