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ERIC Number: EJ1468122
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Mar
Pages: 35
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0735-6331
EISSN: EISSN-1541-4140
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Effects of Block-Based Visual Programming on K-12 Students' Learning Outcomes
Qing Yu1; Kun Yu1; Baomin Li2
Journal of Educational Computing Research, v63 n1 p64-98 2025
Computer programming is regarded as an important skill for the future. However, many K-12 students face challenges and difficulties in learning traditional text-based programming. Block-based visual programming (BVP) can reduce the difficulty of learning programming and is seen as a potential programming education tool. Nevertheless, the effects of BVP on K-12 student learning outcomes remain unclear, and there is no evidence of meta-analysis. This is the "first" meta-analysis that aims to examine the effects of BVP on K-12 students' learning based on "42" effect sizes from 29 independent experimental studies (2000-2023). The result suggests that BVP has an upper-medium effect on learning (SMD = 0.769, 95% CI = [0.554, 0.984], p < 0.001), particularly in the cognitive outcome (SMD = 0.698, p < 0.001). Moreover, the BVP tool, study design, and region have moderating effects. The BVP's effects are larger when: (1) with 61~100 students, (2) for junior high school, (3) with the learning duration of >1 month, (4) targeting math, (5) among novice students, (6) using Scratch, ScratchJr, Alice, and App Inventor, (7) employing project-based learning and project-based + game-based learning, (8) base on quasi-experimental design, (9) in Africa and Europe, (10) with latter publication years. Finally, discussions, implications, limitations, and future directions are put forward.
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Information Analyses
Education Level: Elementary Education; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Africa; Europe
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Fudan University, Shanghai, China; 2East China Normal University, Shanghai, China