Social computational thinking

The process of building computational science models does require computational thinking but even the use of simulations can include powerful computational thinking. Moreover, social types of simulations such as Collective Simulations make use of computer enhanced role play. The Mr. Vetro collective simulation developed by AgentSheets Inc., for instance, enables powerful computational thinking about human physiology. Each student, controlling a hand held computer, essentially becomes an organ. The problem solving and scientific inquiry process exploring topics such as smoking is a social form of computational thinking. On the individual level the handheld computer is used to express local decisions such as the heart rate. At the collective level students experience the consequence of this kind of thinking. Computation is not only used to implement this kind of interaction but also becomes a model to understand the intricate relations of physiological variables in the human body.