Computatiinal Thinking!
What is evaluation?
Once a solution has been designed using computational thinking, it is important to make sure that the solution is fit for purpose.Evaluation is the process that allows us to make sure our solution does the job it has been designed to do and to think about how it could be improved.
Once written, an algorithm should be checked to make sure it:
Is easily understood - is it fully decomposed?
Is complete - does it soilve every aspect of the problem
Is efficient – does it solve the problem, making best use of the available resources (eg as quickly as possible/using least space)?meets any design criteria we have been given
If an algorithm meets these four criteria it is likely to work well. The algorithm can then be programmed.
What happens if we dont evaluate?
Computational thinking helps to solve problems and design a solution – an algorithm – that can be used to program a computer. However, if the solution is faulty, it may be difficult to write the program. Even worse, the finished program might not solve the problem correctly.Evaluation allows us to consider the solution to a problem, make sure that it meets the original design criteria, produces the correct solution and is fit for purpose - before programming begins.Once a solution has been decided and the algorithm designed, it can be tempting to miss out the evaluating stage and to start programming immediately. However, without evaluation any faults in the algorithm will not be picked up, and the program may not correctly solve the problem, or may not solve it in the best way.
Faults may be minor and not very important. For example, if a solution to the question ‘how to draw a cat?’ was created and this had faults, all that would be wrong is that the cat drawn might not look like a cat. However, faults can have huge – and terrible – effects, eg if the solution for an aeroplane autopilot had faults.