Ctrl + Alt + Inner Speech: A Verbal-Cognitive Scaffold (VCS) Model of Pathways to Computational Thinking

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Science
• Computational Theory
• Neurodiversity Research

Background:

• Existing cognitive models for computational thinking (CT) are often monolithic.
• The role of inner speech (InSp) in supporting CT requires a more detailed theoretical framework.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce the Verbal-Cognitive Scaffold (VCS) Model, a new framework for understanding the cognitive architectures of CT.
• Propose inner speech (InSp) as the primary cognitive pathway for CT operations in neurotypical populations.
• Articulate specific mechanisms through which InSp supports CT.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized interdisciplinary scholarship from cognitive science, computational theory, and neurodiversity research.
• Developed a theoretical model (VCS) positing InSp as central to CT.
• Specified four primary pathways linking InSp to CT components: verbal working memory, symbolic representation, sequential processing, and dialogic self-questioning.

Main Results:

• The VCS Model details how InSp supports CT through specific cognitive functions.
• Four pathways are proposed: verbal working memory for decomposition, symbolic representation for pattern recognition/abstraction, sequential processing for algorithmic thinking, and self-questioning for debugging.
• The model acknowledges but does not focus on potential non-verbal CT architectures.

Conclusions:

• The VCS Model offers a nuanced understanding of how InSp enables CT operations.
• It generates testable predictions for aptitude-pathway interactions in computational training.
• The framework accommodates future research into neurodivergent, potentially non-verbal, CT strategies.