CS1 students' understanding of computational thinking concepts
Jake A. Qualls, Michael M. Grant, Linda B. Sherrell · Journal of computing sciences in colleges · 2011
This paper presents a small, multi-method case study conducted throughout the spring 2010 semester of CS1: Introduction to Computer Science at the University of Memphis. This study explored students' comprehension of three Computational Thinking concepts: algorithms, abstraction and efficiency. Results indicate that students understand and value the concept of the algorithm but are only beginning to understanding abstraction. In addition, student observations about efficiency represent the true focus of Computational Thinking, i.e., applying computer science concepts to other fields of study. Implications for teaching CS1 and for future research are also considered.