Proto-computational Thinking: The Uncomfortable Underpinnings

The idea of computational thinking (CT) has resulted in widespread action at all levels of the American educational system. Some action focuses on programming, some on cognition, and some on physical action that is seen as embodying computational thinking concepts. In a K–12 educational context, the observation that computing is usually about some non-computational thing can lead to an approach that integrates computational thinking instruction with existing core curricular classes. A social justice argument can be made for this approach, because all students take courses in the core curriculum.