Computational Thinking
91´«Ã½
See also:
What is Computational Thinking?
Computational thinking is a problem-solving process often associated with computer science, programming, and coding. However, the universal ideas behind computational thinking—decomposition, pattern recognition, and abstraction and algorithmic design—are concepts most children’s librarians and early childhood educators know. By exploring the relationship between early literacy and computational thinking skills, library staff can challenge themselves to think differently about the ways their work supports the whole child.
Current Activities
Reading on Computational Thinking
The blog post published July 30, 2020 by Jacqueline Kociubuk, Dr. Kathleen Campana, Paula Langsam, and Claudia Haines, outlines a few examples of how you can incorporate computational thinking into the programs and services you may be offering now.
"Making the Connection: Computational Thinking and Early Learning for Young Children and Their Families" (PDF) was published in the July/August 2020 issue of Public Libraries magazine. The article provides an overview of computational thinking concepts and skills; detail on computational thinking’s role in early childhood development and relationships with other early learning domains; and examples of how to integrate computational thinking into library programs and services for young children and families.
Professional Development for Library Staff
On December 4, 2018, PLA’s Family Engagement Task Force presented a free webinar, Thinking Sideways: Computational Thinking and Early Literacy, to explore components of computational thinking, what it looks like in early childhood, and how library staff use developmentally appropriate activities to support whole-child development. The webinar is available on demand.
At the 2020 Pacific Northwest Library Association Conference in August 2020, experts and friends from the PLA Family Engagement Task Force presented a poster, .
The program was presented at the 2019 91´«Ã½ Midwinter Meeting. Links to the audio recording and slides are available (login required, registered attendees only).
Share Your Program Examples
The PLA Family Engagement Task Force is collecting examples of computational thinking programs and initiatives from public libraries and their community partners. Do you have a program or service you want to share? Email PLA at pla@ala.org.
- DC Public Library (PDF)
- Homer (AK) Public Library (PDF)
- Home (AK) Public Library
Further Information
The following initiatives have additional tools and resources of interest to public libraries.
- Libraries Ready to Code
- Technology in Early Childhood (TEC) Center
