Simplifying the Puzzle: How Computational Thinking and Abstraction Can Help Teachers Conquer Classroom Complexity

The investigation examines the utilization of abstraction and computational thinking by educators to effectively navigate the complexities encountered in the educational setting. It underscores the significance of these cognitive capacities in the examination and determination of intricate issues. To facilitate students in problem-solving and decision-making, educators can utilize computational thinking to break down challenging issues into more manageable components. Two capacities that educators can utilize to apply their knowledge in various circumstances are the identification of patterns and the extrapolation of abstract notions. This research study demonstrated the utility of abstraction and computational thinking in equipping educators with the necessary tools to address classroom issues, which is particularly valuable for curricula focused on training future educators. The study not only identifies potential challenges but also offers recommendations for overcoming the difficulties that teachers may encounter when implementing these ideas in the classroom. By employing these tactics and recommended solutions, educators can help students improve their analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking abilities, thus preparing them for the challenges of the digital era

Meta-Analisis Media Scratch terhadap Keterampilan Computational Thinking Siswa SMA dalam Pembelajaran Fisika

Abstrak. Pembelajaran jarak jauh membuat siswa kesulitan dalam belajar fisika yang abstrak sehingga diperlukan media yang menarik minat belajar siswa. Scratch merupakan salah satu media yang mendukung dalam pelaksanaan pembelajaran tersebut. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengetahui kelebihan dan kekurangan serta keterampilan computational thinking selama menggunakan media pembelajaran scratch pada fisika jenjang SMA. Metode yang digunakan adalah Systematic Literature Review dengan analisis deskriptif kualitatif. Scratch mampu meningkatkan keterampilan computational thinking siswa karena didesain untuk mengembangkan kreatifitas dengan membuat animasi dan simulasi, kemampuan berpikir secara sistematis, kolaboratif dan dapat merealisasikan algoritma sehingga mampu menerapkan pola pikir logika yang dapat membuat konsep sederhana menjadi kompleks dalam pembelajaran fisika. Abstract. Distance education makes it difficult for students to learn abstract physics that is needed media that attracts students interesting. Scratch is one of the media that supports the implementation of this learning. The research aims to determine strengths and weaknesses, computational thinking skills while using media scratch in high school physics. The method used is a systematic literature review with qualitative descriptive analysis. Scratch can improve computational thinking skills because it develops creativity, think systematically, collaboratively, and realize algorithms made up apply logical thinking patterns that can make simple concepts complex in physics learning

Pemberian Scaffolding untuk Memperbaiki Proses Berpikir Komputasional Siswa dalam Memecahkan Masalah Matematika

Berpikir komputasional didefinisikan sebagai proses pemecahan masalah menggunakan logika secara bertahap dan sistematis. Kemampuan berpikir ini sangat dibutuhkan untuk membantu dan memudahkan siswa dalam memecahkan masalah matematika. Namun, fakta di lapangan menunjukkan bahwa siswa belum mampu menggunakan abstraksi terhadap masalah matematika yang diberikan serta melakukan algoritma. Penelitian ini bertujuan mendeskripsikan proses berpikir komputasional siswa pada pemecahan masalah matematika melalui scaffolding menggunakan soal HOTS model PISA materi program linear kelas XI di MA Daruttauhid Malang. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian deskriptif dengan pendekatan kualitatif. Adapun data penelitian terdiri atas jawaban siswa, think aloud, dan hasil wawancara semiterstruktur. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa scaffolding dapat membantu dan memperbaiki proses berpikir komputasional karena pemberian pertanyaan, petunjuk, pengingat, arahan, atau dorongan membuat berpikir komputasional siswa menjadi aktif secara optimal. Hal ini dibuktikan dari tahapan berpikir komputasional siswa yang sebelumnya hanya mampu mencapai pengenalan pola, menjadi siswa yang dapat mencapai tahap abstraksi dan berpikir algoritma dalam memecahkan masalah masalah matematika

Computational thinking and online learning: A systematic literature review

This paper introduces research concerned with investigating how Computational Thinking and online learning can be successfully married to help empower secondary teachers to teach this subject. To aid this research, a systematic literature review was undertaken to investigate what is currently known in the academic literature on where Computational Thinking and online learning intersect. This paper presents the findings of this systematic literature review. It outlines the methodology used and presents the current data available in the literature on how Computational Thinking is taught online. Using a systematic process eight hundred articles were initially identified and then subsequently narrowed down to forty papers. These papers were analysed to answer the following two questions: 1. What are the current pedagogical approaches to teaching Computational Thinking online? 2. What were the categories of online learning observed in the teaching of Computational Thinking? Our findings show that a wide range of pedagogical approaches are used to teach Computational Thinking online, with the constructivist theory of learning being the most popular. The tools used to teach Computational Thinking were also varied, video game design, playing video games, competitions, and unplugged activities, to name a few. A significant finding was the dependency between the tool used and the definition of the term Computational Thinking. Computational Thinking lacks consensus on a definition, and thus the definition stated in the literature changed depending on the tool. By considering a significant body of research up to the present, our findings contribute to teachers, researchers and policy makers understanding of how computational thinking may be taught online at second level

Student activities in solving mathematics problems with a computational thinking using Scratch

The progress of the times requires students to be able to think quickly. Student activities in learning are always associated with technology and students’ thinking activities and are expected to think computationally. Therefore, this study aimed to determine how learning with the concept of computational thinking (CT) using the Scratch program can improve students’ mathematical problem-solving abilities. An exploratory research design was conducted by involving 132 grade VIII students in Kuningan, Indonesia. Data analysis began with organization, data description, and statistical testing. The results showed that students performed the concepts of abstraction thinking, algorithmic thinking, decomposition, and evaluation in solving mathematical problems. There were differences in students’ problem-solving abilities before and after the intervention. Students’ activeness in solving problems using the CT concept through a calculator significantly affected 52.3% of the ability to solve mathematical problems

The Impact of Teaching Programming by using Scratch on Self-motivation towards Learning Programming for Primary School Students in Riyadh

The study aimed to measure the effect of teaching programming using Scratch on Self-motivation towards learning programming for primary school students in Riyadh. Twenty-five 4th-grade students participated in the study. A quasi-experimental design was applied. Pre and post-tests were utilized using a motivational scale towards learning programming designed by the researchers to include three dimensions: perseverance, ambition and enjoyment. Participants received Scratch lessons for the duration of a semester. The results showed significant differences in favor of the post-test in all dimensions of the scale. In addition, students' self-motivation towards learning programming has improved by 22.8% in the average rate of the scale. The results showed the improvement rate of students' self-motivation towards learning programming to the scale axes (perseverance, ambition, enjoyment) as follows: 20.9%, 23.8%, and 23.6% respectively. Moreover, the order of items and the improvement rate were different according to the pre-test and post-test; although all the items were positive

Recursos didácticos para el desarrollo del pensamiento computacional en estudiantes de básica secundaria y media

Actualmente, existe un creciente interés en la integración del pensamiento computacional en la educación formal, el cual está motivado por la necesidad de formar personas con las habilidades necesarias para enfrentar los retos del siglo XXI. A pesar de las iniciativas de numerosos gobiernos para la integración del pensamiento computacional en el currículo de los sistemas educativos formales, la falta de consenso en cuanto a la definición del pensamiento computacional y las habilidades asociadas ha dificultado la definición de estrategias aceptadas internacionalmente para fomentar su desarrollo. Teniendo en cuenta lo anterior, mediante esta monografía se pretende identificar los recursos didácticos que pueden ser usados por los docentes de educación básica secundaria y media que deseen fomentar el desarrollo del pensamiento computacional en sus estudiantes. Como metodología para realizar esta investigación se propone un enfoque cualitativo teniendo en cuenta que su propósito principal es identificar los recursos didácticos que pueden aportar al desarrollo del pensamiento computacional en los estudiantes de básica secundaria y media. Asimismo, esta investigación se sitúa en una perspectiva metodológica de investigación documental. A partir del análisis de los documentos seleccionados fue posible identificar recursos didácticos que pueden ser utilizados para el desarrollo del pensamiento computacional en estudiantes de educación básica secundaria y media, los cuales se categorizaron en recursos conectados y desconectados teniendo en cuenta si requieren o no del uso de dispositivos tecnológicos, respectivamente.Currently, there is a growing interest in the integration of computational thinking in formal education, which is motivated by the need to train people with the necessary skills to face the challenges of the 21st century. Despite the initiatives of numerous governments for the integration of computational thinking in the curriculum of formal education systems, the lack of consensus regarding the definition of computational thinking and associated skills has made it difficult to define internationally accepted strategies to promote its development. In accordance with the above, this monograph is intended to identify the didactic resources that can be used by teachers of basic secondary and middle education who wish to promote the development of computational thinking in their students. As a methodology to carry out this research, a qualitative approach is proposed, taking into account that its main purpose is to identify the didactic resources that can contribute to the development of computational thinking in high school and middle school students. Likewise, this research is situated in a methodological perspective of documentary research. From the analysis of the selected documents, it was possible to identify didactic resources that can be used for the development of computational thinking in students of basic secondary and middle education, which were categorized into connected and disconnected resources, taking into account whether or not they require the use of technological devices, respectively

Aprender a programar en tiempos de pandemia: una experiencia con docentes de nivel primario

En este trabajo, se presenta una experiencia de formación docente de nivel primario vinculada al desarrollo del pensamiento computacional en tiempos de pandemia. Se describe la metodología implementada, así como también se discuten los resultados alcanzados a partir de un cuestionario aplicado a los docentes participantes. La experiencia aborda el aprendizaje de la programación a través de un lenguaje visual como Scratch. Se obtuvieron resultados positivos en cuanto a la propuesta en general, posibilidades de transferencia a las prácticas docentes de los participantes, y se identificaron pistas para la mejora en su próxima edición.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informátic

A Framework for Teaching Computational Thinking in Primary Schools: A Namibian Case Study

Several professional development programs have been designed to train in-service teachers on a computational thinking (CT) curriculum, but few researchers have examined how these affect primary school teachers\u27 self-efficacy and knowledge of CT in emerging economies. This study\u27s objective was to create a framework for the professional development of primary school in-service teachers for the teaching of CT (referred to as professional development for primary computational thinking - PD4PCT) to be integrated into teachers\u27 professional development programs. An initial framework was refined after implementing it at a Namibian school with a group of 14 teachers from five different disciplines (social studies, English, natural science, mathematics, and Afrikaans). Literature reviews, pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and self-reporting diaries were used to collect data. The framework was evaluated by experts via an online questionnaire. The findings show that teachers who participated in the professional development program improved their perceived CT knowledge, beliefs, and confidence to teach CT

The effect of robotics on six graders ' academic achievement, computational thinking skills and conceptual knowledge levels

This study compared the pedagogical effects of educational robot development and the block based programming perspectives, which are used in programming education, on middle school students. Its participants were 78 sixth graders. Considering the students' preferences, 38 students were assigned to the experimental group, which studied with robotics (Lego EV3) sets, and 40 students were assigned to the control group, which studied with block-based programming environment (Scratch). All the topics of the programming unit, which are shown in the methods section, were taught to both groups for 10 weeks using the two different approaches. The change created by the implementation between the groups was tested for academic achievement, computational thinking skill efficacy perceptions, and conceptual knowledge levels. The results indicate that educational robotics develop middle school students' academic achievement and computational thinking skill efficacy perceptions more effectively than block-based programming environments. The connections between the concepts of the students who did robotics were also found to be more solid than those who worked with block-based software.Algorithms and the Foundations of Software technolog