1st Edition
Becoming a Computational Thinker Success in the Digital Age
This book has a single purpose: to help everyone become computational thinkers. Computational thinking (CT) is thinking informed by the digital age, and a computational thinker is someone who can apply that thinking everywhere and anywhere. Through practical examples and easy-to-grasp terminology, this book is a guide to navigating the digital world and improving one’s efficiency, productivity, and success immediately.
Given its pervasiveness, knowledge and experience of computation is a cornerstone of productivity, and improved thinking will lead to advances in every aspect of one’s life. In this way, CT can be thought of as the mutual reinforcement of thinking and knowledge of computation in the digital age. Comprising a rich collection of self-contained articles that can be read separately, and illustrated by pictures, images and article-end crossword puzzles, this book is an engaging and accessible route to ‘Becoming a Computational Thinker’ and achieving ‘Success in the Digital Age’.
Aimed at the general reader, this book provides insights that can be applied across the full spectrum of industries and practices, helping readers to not only adapt and function in the digital world but also take advantage of new technologies and even innovate new ways doing things.
Additional online resources are available at https://computize.org/CTer/
Preface
Computational Thinking: An Introduction
1. Everyday Computational Thinking Can Save Lives
2. Digital Technologies in the COVID-19 Fight
3. The Metamorphosis of TV
4. Smart About Smartphones
5. Cyber Security – How Not to Be a Fish
6. Computers: More Than Meets the Eye
7. Home Sweet Homepage :-)
8. Cloud Computing for Everyone
9. A Pattern Here and a Pattern There
10. AI: Aiming for Intelligence
11. Let’s Chat About AI
12. A World of 1’s and 0’s
13. Secrets of the Can-Do Machine
14. Encryption in the Digital Age
15. Bitcoin Is No Coin
16. Central Bank Digital Currency
17. Logic & Logical Thinking
18. 1 Plus 1 Equals 10
19. Cache – Efficiency Thinking
20. Time for Location, Location, Location
21. Face to Face with the Interface
22. Protocols Are Interface Rules
23. Computer Programming by Chickens and Rabbits
24. Don’t Stop – Do It Again!
25. Internet of What? Things!
26. Chips Are Everywhere
27. Problem Solving: Algorithmic & Recursive
28. Problem Solving: Backtracking & Heuristics
29. Problem Solving: Paradigms & Applications
30. Parallel Computing: Ways to Cooperate
Becoming a Computational Thinker: A Summary
Index
Biography
Paul S. Wang is an author, computer scientist, researcher, consultant, and academic. He is a Ph.D. and faculty from MIT with over 40 years of experience in teaching and book publishing. His current interest is in introducing Computational Thinking to all the people.
