Planning my post about computational thinking

Computational Thinking is the point
where math, logic, and creativity meet

The purpose of this post is to introduce and outline my upcoming blog post about computational thinking and it's development throughout history. Computational thinking is the problem-solving mindset used in computer science, and used a basic model of inputs, functions, and outputs. Understanding this thinking model's origin and how it has shaped history allows us to understand how it might shape our future. In my exploration of this subject, I hope to prove that this mindset deserves to be analyzed and taught on a much broader basis than it already is.

To develop this idea, I will include the following components:

Historical Component:
I will identify the presence of early computational thinking within the major themes of periods such as the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and the Industrial Revolution. I will cite records and recreations of Gutenberg's printing press and other historical innovations. I will look into the writings of the predominant philosophers and scientists of the Enlightenment, such as Isaac Newton and Carl Von Linnaeus, to demonstrate the development of this mental process. Finally, I will examine the way computational thinking shaped the industrial revolution. Those results will fuel my discussion on the effect of computational thinking and the need for more research and education on the subject.

Rhetorical Component:
My working thesis will be as follows: Rather than being viewed as a "job-oriented skill", courses based in computer science and computational thinking should be required for all college students, because it is a critical problem solving process that can be applied to any field as demonstrated throughout history.

In order to present this case as clearly as possible, I will attempt to build my argument almost entirely out of historical sources. By doing this I hope to build both a sense of character that people can trust (my ethos appeal), while also framing my logical approach to the subject (logos appeal).

Personal Component:
This subject deals directly with my major (computer science), and it is the reason I chose to work with computers in the first place. Computational thinking makes the historically impossible into modern reality. I believe quite strongly that the future of humanity is directly linked to what this mindset will lead us to achieve. I'm deeply invested in showing others exactly why I care so much about this subject.

Image Credit: "teaching" is license under CC0 1.0