Virtual Recess!

People follow and create processes as part of daily life. Many of these processes can be expressed as algorithms that computers can follow.

Complex tasks can be broken down into simpler instructions, some of which can be broken down even further. Likewise, instructions can be combined to accomplish complex tasks.

Computing technology has positively and negatively changed the way people live and work. Computing devices can be used for entertainment and as productivity tools, and they can affect relationships and lifestyles.

Computing has positively and negatively changed the way people communicate. People can have access to information and each other instantly, anywhere, and at any time, but they are at the risk of cyberbullying and reduced privacy.

Different algorithms can achieve the same result. Some algorithms are more appropriate for a specific context than others.

Programs can be broken down into smaller parts to facilitate their design, implementation, and review. Programs can also be created by incorporating smaller portions of programs that have already been created.

People develop programs using an iterative process involving design, implementation, and review. Design often involves reusing existing code or remixing other programs within a community. People continuously review whether programs work as expected, and they fix, or debug, parts that do not. Repeating these steps enables people to refine and improve programs.

The development and modification of computing technology is driven by people’s needs and wants and can affect groups differently. Computing technologies influence, and are influenced by, cultural practices.

Computing technology allows for local and global collaboration. By facilitating communication and innovation, computing influences many social institutions such as family, education, religion, and the economy.

Algorithms affect how people interact with computers and the way computers respond. People design algorithms that are generalizable to many situations. Algorithms that are readable are easier to follow, test, and debug.

People design meaningful solutions for others by defining a problem’s criteria and constraints, carefully considering the diverse needs and wants of the community, and testing whether criteria and constraints were met.

Advancements in computing technology change people’s everyday activities. Society is faced with tradeoffs due to the increasing globalization and automation that computing brings.

People can organize and engage around issues and topics of interest through various communication platforms enabled by computing, such as social networks and media outlets. These interactions allow issues to be examined using multiple viewpoints from a diverse audience.