HCDA: From Computational Thinking to a Generalized Thinking Paradigm
Authors: Y. Liu, X.-H. Sun, Y. Wang, Y. Bao
Date: May, 2021
Venue: Communications of the ACM (CACM'21), Vol. 64, No. 5, pp. 66-75, May 2021
Type: Journal
Abstract
In 2006, Jeannette M. Wing proposed the concept of “computational thinking,” which has produced significant worldwide impacts on the education, research, and development of computer science. After more than a decade, we reexamine computational thinking, and find that a more general-thinking paradigm is urgently needed to address new challenges. More generally, we identify four foundational thinking patterns that will foster computer system innovations: historical thinking, computational thinking, data-centric thinking, and architectural thinking (HDCA). The combination of these four patterns forms a regular tetrahedron thinking paradigm, providing a unified framework for computer design innovations. This thinking paradigm will provide a reference model for researchers and practitioners to guide and boost the next wave of innovations in computer systems.