The design of algorithms is one of the hardest topics of high school computer science. This is mainly due to the universality of algorithms as solution methods that guarantee the calculation of a correct solution for all potentially infinitely many instances of an algorithmic problem. The goal of this paper is to present a comprehensible and…

In the wake of the present inclusion of programming in mathematics education, which is a feature of curricular revisions in many countries, we have analysed newly inserted programming activities in mathematics textbooks. The aim was to investigate how such activities relate to and potentially affect students' opportunities to learn mathematics.…

Reflective practice is an essential catalyst through which the benefits of teaching and learning can be reaped. Through it, weaknesses and strengths can be identified in a way that helps raise the level of addressing challenges that may arise as well as overcome them. This paper presents the critical reflective practices among computer science…

Gamification is a teaching strategy often praised for its effectiveness in the classroom. The problem was the lack of information regarding teachers' perceptions regarding gamification in high school Advanced Placement (AP) computer science courses. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of computer science teachers…

This study investigates the effectiveness of a culturo-techno-contextual approach (CTCA) in teaching flowcharts and algorithms to junior secondary school students. Despite their importance in programming, these concepts are often difficult for students to grasp. The study involved 196 students (average age 12) who were divided into experimental…

To make sense of our interconnected and algorithm driven world, students increasingly need proficiency with computational thinking (CT), systems thinking (ST), and computational modeling. One aspect of computational modeling that can support students with CT, ST, and modeling is testing and debugging. Testing and debugging enables students to…

Background and Context: Based on issues arising around how to best prepare CS teachers and the constantly changing nature of the CS education content, curriculum, and instructional methods, it is crucial to examine the needs of secondary CS teachers. Objective: The primary purpose of this study was to identify secondary computer science (CS)…

Metaphors in gesture and speech play a pivotal role in the way that programming concepts are presented in the classroom. However, little is known about the function of teachers' metaphors in practice. This study aims to explore teachers' use of metaphors in gesture and speech in a lecture on programming. Based on video observations of three upper…

Computer Science (CS) is a vital subject in K-12 education, and acquiring proficiency in CS is essential for nurturing talent. However, current teaching practices often rely on standardized tests to evaluate academic performance, which may not offer a comprehensive and multidimensional assessment of students' competency in learning CS.…

The use of a pedagogical approach mediated transfer with the bridging method has been successful in facilitating the transitions from block-based to text-based programming languages. Nevertheless, there is a lack of research addressing the impact of this transfer on programming misconceptions during the transition. The way programming concepts are…

Background and Context: Computing education is expanding, while the teaching of algorithms is less well studied. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine teachers' pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for teaching algorithms. Method: We conducted semi-structured interviews with seven computer science (CS) teachers in upper secondary…

Purpose: The lecture method has been compared with teaching methods such as flip learning, cooperative learning and simulations to establish which holds the key to students' understanding of concepts. What is bereft in the education literature is its comparative efficiency with the culturo-techno contextual approach (CTCA) in the teaching of…

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,…

Computer Science (CS) Unplugged activities are designed to engage students with CS concepts. It is an active learning approach combining physical interaction with visual representation. This research article investigates the impact of CS Unplugged on students' understanding of the bubble sort algorithm. Algorithm visualization, traditionally…

Objectives: Physical computing systems are increasingly being integrated into secondary school science and STEM instruction, yet little is known about how teachers, especially those with little background and experience in computing, help students during the inevitable debugging moments that arise. In this article, we describe a framework,…