Abstraction in Computer Science Education: An Overview

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2021

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MIROLO, C.
IZU, C.
LONATI, V.
SCAPIN, E.

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Journal article

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Informatics in Education, 2021; 20(4):615-639

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Claudio Mirolo, Cruz Izu, Violetta Lonati, Emanuele Scapin

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Abstract

When we “think like a computer scientist,” we are able to systematically solve problems in different fields, create software applications that support various needs, and design artefacts that model complex systems. Abstraction is a soft skill embedded in all those endeavours, being a main cornerstone of computational thinking. Our overview of abstraction is intended to be not so much systematic as thought provoking, inviting the reader to (re)think abstraction from different – and perhaps unusual – perspectives. After presenting a range of its characterisations, we will explore abstraction from a cognitive point of view. Then we will discuss the role of abstraction in a range of computer science areas, including whether and how abstraction is taught. Although it is impossible to capture the essence of abstraction in one sentence, one section or a single paper, we hope our insights into abstraction may help computer science educators to better understand, model and even dare to teach abstraction skills.

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Pub. online: 5 August 2022

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© 2021 Vilnius University, ETH Zürich. Open access article under the CC BY license.

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