Programming

Programming is construed broadly to describe a variety of ways of generating computational artifacts. Programming, in the context of essential content for high school, is likely to include block-based and/or text-based programming languages. It may also include other computational artifacts, such as simulations, visualizations, robotic systems, or digital animations.

This Topic Area involves more technical content, and it is sometimes taught in ways that do not engage students’ interest or imagination. Innovative and creative activities, such as creating programs to generate digital art or to meet a community need,may be more engaging. Using the development of dispositions as a lens when designing instruction may help address this.

FOUNDATIONAL CONTENT

Level	Learning Outcome
Remember	PR.1 – Reference documentation and other online tools to assist with programming
Understand	PR.2 – Convert an algorithm to code
Understand	PR.3 – Interpret the function of a segment of code
Apply	PR.4 – Modify a program (e.g., add functionality or improve usability or accessibility)
	PR.5 – Use prompt engineering, code generation tools, or other AI technologies to plan, write, test, and debug code^CT
	PR.6 – Document a program to clarify functionality (e.g., using comments within code)
	PR.7 – Apply principles of inclusive collaboration to a programming project^IC
Analyze	PR.8 – Articulate whether a program solves a given problem^CT
Analyze	PR.9 – Use computational thinking principles to analyze a program^CT
Evaluate	PR.10 – Test and debug a program systematically^CT
	PR.11 – Evaluate whether and how computation can or cannot help solve a problem
	PR.12 – Assess societal impacts of programming and related ethical issues (e.g., how might modifications to a program impact various groups of users?)^IE
Create	PR.13 – Design a program using principles of human-centered design^HCD
Create	PR.14 – Develop programs using sequence, selection, and iteration

In the topic area tables, we use a system of superscripts to indicate which Pillars relate to which learning outcome:

Computational Thinking → CT
Human-Centered Design → HCD
Inclusive Collaboration → IC
Impacts and Ethics → IE

EXAMPLES OF INTEGRATING THE PILLARS AND DISPOSITIONS

Impacts and Ethics	Inclusive Collaboration	Computational Thinking	Human-Centered Design	Dispositions
Explore a program’s implications for data privacy and security Examine how biases might arise in a program’s output	Work in diverse teams to develop a program Collaborate via peer code reviews	Apply knowledge of programming patterns to new contexts Explore whether and how a problem can be solved without computing, then transform into a program as appropriate	Interview users to understand their needs Develop an app that is accessible to vision-impaired users	Reflect on one’s choice(s) to emphasize speed, cost, efficiency, accuracy, etc. in the design of a program Apply universal design for learning concepts to improve sense of belonging

Programming

FOUNDATIONAL CONTENT

EXAMPLES OF INTEGRATING THE PILLARS AND DISPOSITIONS

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