While there are many real-world examples of computational thinking in education, the idea still remains daunting or indescribable to many students and teachers. 

Many focus on the hard skills acquired, but it is the softer skills of intellect that employers find amusing. Computational and analytical thinking and thus the learning of algorithmic methods and approaches aimed at problem solving, and on the long-term knowledge of data literacy  and information processing benefits the learners in many many fields in their life.

In several countries, programming as a basic component of computer science has been made a compulsory part of the curriculum, and that already from primary school age. Several Asian countries have followed the tradition cultivated in Eastern European countries, while people in the USA are debating about how to incorporate “computational thinking” as part of the general education.

This type of thinking is indispensable for research and development in the disciplines of natural sciences and engineering, and the introduction of compulsory computer science lessons in the sense of algorithmic problem solving (in place of the superficial and short-lived product knowledge of appealing software systems, so-called ICT lessons) will only be a question of time in all countries with highly developed new technologies.

The focus is on key qualifications including thinking in complex contexts, the ability to solve problems, abstract thinking skills, determination and teamwork skills. The programming lessons can promote these competencies in a playful way. When the learners are asked to describe certain patterns (e.g. stairs, flower pattern) accurately and to recognize repeating patterns and define these in formal and natural languages, they will also learn to express themselves clearly and precisely.