With the rapid development of computer technology and mobile internet, every aspect of our life is closely related to computers. Computational thinking is one of the most important core elements that have enabled the development of the computer industry. Computational thinking is the process of deconstructing a problem and discovering a solution using mathematics and logic. It allows problems to be quantified so that computers can take the quantified problems and analyse them through algorithms and produce results.
People can communicate with each other through language as a way to share experiences and convey emotions. Communication between humans and computers is based on the programming language of the computer, which relies on computational thinking, and therefore, the development of computer and Internet-related products requires the use of computational thinking at all times.
Computers are used in a wide range of applications, and almost all industries can be integrated with computer technology. In addition to common personal computers and smartphones, automobiles, homes, healthcare, scientific research, agriculture, and many other fields need excellent algorithms and hardware to improve product quality and work efficiency. For example, there are many restaurants that allow you to order food by scanning a QR Code on your smartphone. This facilitates timely updating of the menu and allows algorithms to analyse the customer's preference for a dish. In agriculture, farmers can operate drones and other devices to intelligently manage their farmland. Another example is Industry 4.0, which uses smart factories to boost traditional manufacturing industries such as textiles and furniture (Jimeno-Morenilla et al., 2021).
All these examples show that there is an extremely promising combination of traditional industries with computer technology and that these industries require targeted algorithms to analyse and solve problems. This requires people to develop and maintain programmes using computational thinking. Even if one does not become a software engineer, improving digital literacy is necessary for success in the 21st century which is littered with digital devices (Shute, Sun and Asbell-Clarke, 2017). The key in digital literacy then is computational thinking.
I tend to choose industries related to high technology in my career choice, such as internet companies or digital product companies. And to enter these industries, whether I am working as a programmer in software development or in management, it requires me to have certain computer knowledge and technology. This is not only good for understanding the market and changing trends in the industry, but also helpful for conducting corporate business. Even outside of employment, learning computational thinking has many benefits. For example, in my life, I need to use all kinds of computers, such as iPad, smartwatch, etc. Knowledge of computational thinking will make me think about how these devices work. Although the development of mobile internet nowadays makes new products very complicated, understanding some basic computer concepts is beneficial to make better use of the software.
Jimeno-Morenilla, A., Azariadis, P., Molina-Carmona, R., Kyratzi, S. and Moulianitis, V. (2021). Technology enablers for the implementation of Industry 4.0 to traditional manufacturing sectors: A review. Computers in Industry, 125, p.103390. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compind.2020.103390.
Shute, V.J., Sun, C. and Asbell-Clarke, J. (2017). Demystifying computational thinking. Educational Research Review, 22, pp.142–158. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2017.09.003.