In learning to program and understanding how a programming language controls a computer, learners develop both insights and misconceptions whilst their mental models are gradually refined. It is important that the learner is able to distinguish the different elements and roles of a computer (compiler, interpreter, memory, etc.), which novice…

Computational Thinking (CT) has evolved as an essential competency for K-12 students, and programming practices are recognized as the key way to facilitate CT development. However, most studies of CT development in middle graders have focused on visual programming, lacking evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of Python programming. Therefore,…

In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of cooperative learning on the computational thinking skills and academic performances of middle school students in the computational problem-solving approach. We used the pretest-posttest control group design of the quasiexperimental method. In the research, computational problem-solving…

Computational thinking (CT), an essential competency for comprehending and addressing intricate issues in the digital world, has been incorporated into curriculum planning as a goal for programming education. This study introduced flow design into programming curricula to investigate its impact on undergraduates 'CT skills during pair work. Two…

In the current era where computational literacy holds significant relevance, a growing number of schools across the globe have placed emphasis on K-12 programming education. This field of education primarily comprises two distinct modalities--the block-based programming modality (BPM) and the text-based programming modality (TPM). Previous…

Although previous research has provided some insights into the effects of block-based and text-based programming modalities, there is a dearth of a detailed, multi-dimensional analysis of the transition process from different introductory programming modalities to professional programming learning. This study employed a quasi-experimental design…

Pair programming (PP) can help improve students' computational thinking (CT), but the trajectory of CT skills and the differences between high-scoring and low-scoring students in PP are unknown and need further exploration. In this study, a total of 32 fifth graders worked on Scratch tasks in 16 pairs. The group discourse of three learning topics…

Background: Studies on the effectiveness of block-based environments continue to produce inconsistent results. A strong reason for this is that most studies compare environments that are not equivalent to each other or to the level of learners. Moreover, studies that present evidence of the effectiveness of block-based environments by comparing…

The aim of this study was to determine how 5-year-old children identified the functional relationship of correspondence, and whether or not they generalized when working on a task that involved programmable robots. We conducted this study with 15 children (9 girls and 6 boys) in their last year of preschool education. The study was designed around…

Educational technologists and practitioners have made substantial strides in developing affordable digital and tangible resources to support both formal and informal computer science instruction. However, there is a lack of research on practice-based assignments, such as Internet of Things (IoT) projects, that allow undergraduate students to…

Computational thinking is a way of thinking that helps people "think like a computer scientist" to solve practical problems. However, practicing computational thinking through programming is dependent on the problem solvers' metacognition. This study investigated students' metacognitive planning and problem-solving performance in…

Background: Computational thinking (CT) is crucial to fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Many elementary schools have been cultivating students' CT through block-based programming languages such as Scratch using traditional teacher-centered teaching methods. However, the approach excessively relies on teacher lectures, so the…

The purpose of the current study was to explore the effect of modality (constructionist mBlock, Scratch, and Python interventions) on six-grade students' computational thinking, programming attitude, and achievement. The pre-test and post-test quasi-experimental design was used to explore the research questions. The study group consisted of 105…

This qualitative case study was designed to explore pre-service teachers' computational thinking and programming skills in an educational technology course in which block-based programming was introduced in a teacher education program. 12 teacher candidates from different subject areas participated in the study. The findings show that…

Programming is an interdisciplinary practice with applications in both mathematics and computer science. Mathematics concerns rigor, abstraction, and generalization. Computer science predominantly concerns efficiency, concreteness, and physicality. This makes programming a medium for problem solving that mediates between mathematics and computer…