Computational thinking is considered to be an important competence in the intelligent era, and the incorporation of computational thinking as an integral part of school education beginning in childhood has been proposed. However, the ways in which computational thinking can be taught more effectively the context of in K-12 programming teaching…

The effective teaching of the concept of programming, where critical thinking is an important factor, is not so easy in secondary education. New teaching approaches, including, game-based learning, may provide a solution due to their inclusion of more fun and diverse activities but they still lack the active participation of the students in the…

In recent years, computational thinking (CT) initiatives have been increasing in both research and practice. Although the importance of students' resilience and computational identity in the CT development process is recognized, more research is needed on their role on students' CT skills. Therefore, little is known about whether differences in…

In the dynamic educational context of Malaysia, this study examines the impact of integrating Unplugged Activities (UA) with Block-Based Programming (BBP) on improving the computational thinking (CT) skills of secondary students in full boarding schools in Northern Peninsular Malaysia. Using a quasi-experimental design and mixed-methods analysis,…

The importance of developing computational thinking (CT) skills has created many practices and research. A significant amount of research exists in the literature on CT and its related skills, yet the rareness of research studies focusing on both quantitative and qualitative evaluations of students' CT skills in real school settings is remarkable.…

In order to teach Computational Thinking (CT) skills to young students, Block-Based Programming Environments (BBPEs) are integrated into secondary school computer science (CS) education curricula. As a CT skill, abstraction is one of the prominent skills, which is difficult to enhance and measure. Researchers developed some scales for measuring…

In recent years, increased attention has been given to programming instruction for primary and secondary students. Several game-based programming learning platforms, such as Code.org, Lightbot, and Run Marco, have been created to offer enticing, enjoyable, and visualizable programming learning conditions that facilitate student interest and…

Computational Thinking (CT) is an emerging topic in school curricula. Different tools exist to support the learning of CT, namely visual programming languages and tangible development platforms (TDP), which are widely used in extra-curricular activities. To date, few tools have been developed that consider both teachers' needs and the school…

In the program-driven information age, programming education is concerned by the global education system, which makes the cultivation of children's programming ability become the focus of attention. However, there is no clear definition of programming ability and teaching model. Through the snowball method, 86 studies from 1980 to 2020 were…

Due to increased need of professionals on the future labour market with competence in programming, many countries have integrated programming in kindergarten to grade 12 (K-12) education. In 2017, programming was integrated in Swedish primary and secondary school curriculum and the courses of Mathematics and Technology. Research has highlighted…

Designing programmed technological solutions (PTS) with programming materials has become a way to contextualise educational content related to PTS and programming. However, studies show that pupils have difficulties conceptualising central phenomena involved in the process, which affects their ability to design PTS. In order to understand these…

Serious games, or else educational games, for programming are considered to have a positive impact on learning programming. Specifically, serious games are considered to motivate students and engage them in playing and learning programming. However, more research is required in order to study their effects in learning programming, as well as their…

The continuous technological development nowadays acts ancillary and supportively in student-centered learning, in both formal and informal education settings. Effective learning environments, such as the AppInventor software, could spark the students' interest and allow them to develop programming skills and strengthen their algorithmic…