Developing data literacy and computational thinking skills allows us to come up with logical solutions to problems in a wide variety of contexts.
The first stage of computational problem-solving, is to break down a complex task into more manageable steps. This is known as decomposition and it's something we do anyway when we tackle everyday tasks like cooking.
You have to think about how to prepare and cook ingredients and how to serve them. And by working out the solutions to these small problems you can identify a list of steps to follow.
You can then make a plan using the steps identified. This is called an algorithm - which is just a set of step-by-step instructions.
In an algorithm for making chips, the instructions to wash, chop and fry the potatoes would need to be given in that order.
You can write an algorithm as a flow chart. This makes it easy to see what the instructions are, and in what order they must be followed.
And if you have an algorithm for solving one problem, you can adapt its steps to solve similar problems in different situations. Once you know the recipe for making a cheese sauce, you can use it in many different recipes.
This way of thinking can be useful whether learners are looking for the recipe for making cheese sauce or writing an essay.
An essay can be broken down into an introduction, the main body of discussion, and a conclusion.
Then each of these stages can then be decomposed further. Each paragraph within the main body has a main point, supporting evidence and a concluding sentence.
You can then use the procedures you’ve outlined to come up with a structure, plan, or algorithm for writing the essay.
A fun way of explaining computational problem-solving in class is the popular “robot-teacher” exercise.
Learners programme their “robot teacher” to do either an everyday task or one in the area of learning they are working in.
They could instruct their teacher to serve in tennis, play a tune on the piano, or paint a picture. The steps are rarely right first time, so they learn how to correct errors until they have the right set of instructions.
Breaking down complex problems into more manageable steps to come up with a solution is a skill that many of you already do day-to-day without thinking about it.
Highlighting this to learners will improve their ability to solve problems, with or without a computer.
In this short film for teachers Jennifer Jones explains decomposition, which is an important part of problem solving for students and a way for them to use key thinking skills.
Teacher notes
Decomposition is the act of breaking down a complex problem into a series of more manageable tasks. We do this every day when doing things like cooking or getting dressed. We follow a set of instructions in a certain order to get the outcome that we want.
A simple set of step-by-step instructions is also known as an algorithm. You can write an algorithm as a flow chart showing the different steps in the order that they need to be performed.
We can decompose educational tasks and write algorithms for completing them successfully. An essay can be broken down into an introduction, the main body of discussion and a conclusion. These can then be broken down into paragraphs, each needing a main point, supporting evidence and a concluding sentence.
This short film describes an exercise that calls for decomposition and the creation of an algorithm. In the “robot-teacher exercise” the class writes a set of instructions for the teacher to follow in order to complete a task. As the students may not get the instructions right the first time, they have to correct them until the teacher can perform the task successfully.
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