ABSTRACT
The integration of computational thinking in school curricula and learning designs can be approached from two different perspectives, a pure and an applied, i.e., as an independent subject or integrated across subjects. The thrust of this chapter is a discussion of the challenges and possibilities of these two approaches. First, the chapter describes the origin of the two approaches, focusing on the differences between computing in the formal mathematical sense and computing as a pervading factor in our everyday and professional lives. Then, the chapter provides a theoretical framework that can be used for reflecting upon the integration of computational thinking in both existing and future curricula and learning designs. As an example, this chapter examines a recent Danish three-year pilot project, “Technology Comprehension”, which focuses on integrating computational thinking in lower secondary education. The chapter ends with a discussion of two pedagogical questions related to the process of transforming computational thinking into relevant subject matter in schools.
