LAC 28:CIV.103. Definitions

Abstraction—the process of reducing complexity by focusing on the most relevant details. Algorithm—a step-by-step process to complete a task. Code—any set of instructions expressed in a programming language. Computational Artifact—anything created by a human using a computational thinking process and a computing device. A computational artifact can be, but is not limited to, a program, image, audio, video, presentation, or web page file. Computational Thinking—a problem-solving process that can be applied to multiple disciplines and includes decomposition, abstraction, pattern recognition, and their impact on society. Computer Science—the study of computers and algorithmic processes, including principles, hardware and software designs, implementation, and their impact on society. Computing System—the collection of one or more computers or computing devices, including both hardware and software, integrated to accomplish shared tasks. A computing system may be used to refer to one device, but is more commonly used to refer to a collection of multiple connected devices, hardware, and computers. Cyber Citizenship—the responsible use of technology which may include, but is not limited to, accessing and following acceptable, responsible behaviors to access technology within an acceptable use policy (AUP); social media use and limitations by age; data sharing and privacy; responsible personal cybersecurity practices; fact-checking and verifying information from social media outlets; understanding your personal digital footprint; obeying state and federal computing laws; and avoidance of cyber bulling and/or harassment. Data Transformation—the process of converting, cleaning, and structuring data into a usable format for computers to process. The usable data can be analyzed to support data-driven decision making. Digital Literacy—the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, share, and create digital content. Emerging technologies—innovations, unexpected new technologies, new advances in computing, and future innovations that are happening in both the present and potential near future. Model—a representation of some part of a problem or a system, and can act as a bridge between algorithms and actual implementation software. Operation—the action that a computer carries out to complete a task. Not to be confused with mathematical operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. There are five basic types of computer operations: inputting, processing, outputting, storing, and controlling. Procedure—an independent code module that fulfils some concrete tasks and is referenced within a larger body of program code. The fundamental purpose of a procedure is to offer a single point of reference for some small group or task that the developer or programmer may trigger by invoking the procedure itself. Program—a set of instructions the computer executes to achieve an objective. When used as a verb, the term means to create a program by programming. Programming Language—sets of computer instructions that can be utilized by a programmer to tell a computer what to do. Reliability—an attribute of any system that consistently produces the same results to meet or exceed its requirements. Remix—creating new program versions by recombining or modifying parts of the existing program’s code to develop new solutions or compensate for problems. Scalability—the capability of a network to handle a growing amount of work or the network’s potential to be enlarged to accommodate future growth. Simulation—a program that imitates the operation of a real-world process or system. Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)—a process for planning, creating, testing, and deploying an information system. The stages in the SDLC are planning, requirements analysis, design, coding, testing, deployment, and maintenance. Test Case—a set of variables under which a user will determine whether the system satisfies requirements or works correctly. Usability—the degree to which software can be used by specified consumers to achieve a quantified objective with effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in a quantified context of use. Variable—a symbolic name used to keep track of a value that may change as a program runs.