Supporting Computational Algorithmic Thinking (SCAT): Exploring the difficulties African-American middle school girls face while enacting computational algorithmic thinking

Abstract

Computational algorithmic thinking (CAT) is the ability to design, implement, and assess the implementation of algorithms to solve a range of problems. It involves identifying and understanding a problem, articulating an algorithm or set of algorithms in the form of a solution to the problem, implementing that solution in such a way that it solves the problem, and evaluating the solution based on some set of criteria. This paper introduces CAT as explored through the Supporting Computational Algorithmic Thinking (SCAT) project, an on-going longitudinal between-subjects research project and enrichment program that guides African-American middle school girls (SCAT Scholars) through the iterative game design cycle resulting in a set of complex games around broad themes. This paper explores the difficulties SCAT Scholars face while using CAT capabilities in the context of game design as described by the Scholars themselves in online journals.