Computational Thinking: Students’ Abstraction on the Concepts of Kinematics

Abstraction is the primary key in computational thinking. This study aims to analyze students’ computational thinking skills of abstraction on the concept of kinematics. The data were collected through students’ project documents and interviews. The data is examined using a content analysis approach that emphasizes writing, verbal, or visual communication. The results revealed that students’ abstraction skills were evident in collecting data and analyzing, and recognizing patterns but were less visible in building models or simulations. Abstraction skills can be used as a foundation and framework for viewing a concept in physics not only in mathematics or formulas views but as a data iterative relationship. This research is expected to provide an overview for physics instructors to integrate computational thinking in their learning classroomKemampuan abstraksi merupakan kunci utama dalam berpikir komputasional Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis keterampilan berpikir komputasional mahasiswa khususnya kemampuan abstraksi pada konsep Kinematika. Data dalam penelitian ini dikumpulkan melalui dokumen tugas proyek dan wawancara. Selanjutnya data dianalisis dengan  menggunakan konten analisis yang menekankan pada analisis tulisan, verbal, atau komunikasi visual. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kemampuan abstraksi mahasiswa tampak jelas pada keterampilan mengumpulkan data dan analisis, dan merekognisi pola, akan tetapi kurang terlihat pada kemampuan membangun model atau simulasi. Kemampuan abstraksi dapat dijadikan dasar dan framework untuk memandang suatu konsep dalam fisika bukan hanya secara matematika atau rumus tetapi sebagai hubungan yang iteratif antar data. Penelitian ini diharapkan mampu memberi gambaran kepada pengajar fisika untuk mengintegrasikan berpikir komputasional dalam pembelajaran

Students’ Computational Thinking Skills In Physics Learning: A Case study of Kinematic Concepts

Physics learning provides a context for future careers in fostering ability in high-end logic with the 21st learning goals. Applying computational thinking in schools is challenging and requires systemic transformation and teacher attention. This study aims to investigate the computational thinking of students in physics learning. This study used exploratory qualitative research. Data were gathered through observation, interviews, and portfolio documents. The data are analyzed through six stages: preparing and organizing, exploring, building descriptions, representing the findings, interpreting the results, and validating the accuracy. The result indicated four primary computational thinking skills: decomposition, abstraction, simulation, and evaluation. The computational thinking skills in physics learning can develop students’ understanding and implementation of physics concepts based on data, not just mathematical formulas. Computational thinking in physics learning gives students the opportunity and space to explore and develop their ideas and logical reasoning more deeply in problem-defining, solutions, and evaluation. Students use their logical reasoning to solve the problem precisely. This study is expected to be used as a basis and support for physics teachers to integrate computational thinking into their learning classroom

Publication trends over 10 years of computational thinking research

The current study aimed to review studies on computational thinking (CT) indexed in Web of Science (WOS) and ERIC databases. A thorough search in electronic databases revealed 96 studies on computational thinking which were published between 2006 and 2016. Studies were exposed to a quantitative content analysis through using an article control form developed by the researchers. Studies were summarized under several themes including the research purpose, design, methodology, sampling characteristics, data analysis, and main findings. The findings were reported using descriptive statistics to see the trends. It was observed that there was an increase in the number of CT studies in recent years, and these were mainly conducted in the field of computer sciences. In addition, CT studies were mostly published in journals in the field of Education and Instructional Technologies. Theoretical paradigm and literature review design were preferred more in previous studies. The most commonly used sampling method was the purposive sampling. It was also revealed that samples of previous CT studies were generally pre-college students. Written data collection tools and quantitative analysis were mostly used in reviewed papers. Findings mainly focused on CT skills. Based on current findings, recommendations and implications for further researches were provided

Dificultades en la apropiación del concepto de computabilidad en estudiantes de Ingeniería de Sistemas.

Analizar la relación entre los niveles de apropiación del concepto de “computabilidad” y las dificultades que experimentan los estudiantes del curso de «matemáticas discretas» de ingeniería de sistemas en la Escuela Tecnológica Instituto Técnico Central – ETITC.El proyecto de investigación “dificultades en la apropiación del concepto de computabilidad en estudiantes de ingeniería de sistemas” se realizó en la ciudad de Bogotá, durante el primer semestre del año 2020, en la institución de educación superior Escuela Tecnológica Instituto Técnico Central “ETITC”, en la asignatura “matemáticas discretas”. El universo muestral estuvo conformado por 26 estudiantes. El enfoque mixto de la investigación tiene un diseño secuencial y su objetivo fue analizar la relación entre los niveles de apropiación del concepto de “computabilidad” y las dificultades que experimentan los estudiantes alrededor de cuatro variables. Una de las principales dificultades en la apropiación del concepto de computabilidad proviene de “la matemática de la computabilidad” y específicamente está relacionado con la comprensión de los conceptos matemáticos, el simbolismo y la algebrización; también se requiere la visión holística del isomorfismo existente entre la teoría de conjuntos, la lógica proposicional, los circuitos lógicos y el álgebra Booleana.The research project “difficulties in the appropriation of the concept of computability in systems engineering students” realized in the city of Bogotá, during the first semester of 2020, at the higher education institution Escuela Tecnológica Instituto Técnico Central “ETITC”, in the subject "discrete mathematics". The sample universe consisted of 26 students. The mixed approach to the research has a sequential design and its objective was to analyze the relationship between the levels of appropriation of the concept of “computability” and the difficulties experienced by students around four variables. One of the main difficulties in the appropriation of the concept of computability comes from "the mathematics of computability" is specifically related to the understanding of mathematical concepts, symbolism and algebrization; the holistic view of the isomorphism existing between set theory, propositional logic, logic circuits and Boolean algebra is also required. The results show that the difficulties characterized are close to the levels of appropriation (identified) around the concept of “computability”

Exercício do pensamento computacional no ensino superior em computação : investigação de uma abordagem baseada em desafios

Orientador: Dr. Roberto PereiraTese (doutorado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Exatas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Informática. Defesa : Curitiba, 11/04/2023Inclui referências: p. 73-86Área de concentração: Ciência da ComputaçãoResumo: Diretrizes curriculares da graduação em Computação recomendam que estudantes desenvolvam o Pensamento Computacional, mas não especificam quando e como essas habilidades devem ser desenvolvidas. A literatura na área também reconhece a importância e relevância do Pensamento Computacional, entretanto, ainda existem poucas evidências em torno de como apoiar o exercício dessas habilidades no ensino superior em Computação. Diante do exposto, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo investigar uma abordagem para apoiar o exercício do Pensamento Computacional no ensino superior em Computação. A abordagem Pense Computacionalmente foi criada com o propósito de apoiar professores e pesquisadores durante a concepção e condução de práticas educacionais que promovam o Pensamento Computacional por meio do processo de solução dos desafios que considera os quatro pilares do Pensamento Computacional. A abordagem tem como premissa que o Pensamento Computacional deve ser explicitamente exercitado no primeiro semestre da graduação de forma significativa, colaborativa, contextualizada, desplugada e baseada em desafios. Desenvolvemos a abordagem para ser utilizada ou adaptada para diferentes contextos educacionais, sendo composta por: um conjunto de orientações sobre como preparar e conduzir o exercício do Pensamento Computacional; um conjunto de sete práticas (desafios) para serem utilizadas ou inspirar a criação de novas; um método para guiar a condução da prática e instruir estudantes a proporem uma solução; e um artefato para apoiar a análise das soluções para coletar evidências do exercício do Pensamento Computacional. Para experimentarmos a abordagem e investigar as potencialidades e fragilidades, realizamos seis estudos de caso. Os estudos de caso foram conduzidos em ofertas diferentes da disciplina de Introdução à Ciência da Computação, dos cursos de Bacharelado em Ciência da Computação e Informática Biomédica da UFPR. Os resultados revelam que os desafios foram bem avaliados tanto pelos docentes quanto discentes, e foram muito bons em provocar o raciocínio e promover o interesse. Além disso, os resultados demonstram que estudantes exercitaram o Pensamento Computacional e desenvolveram a percepção do exercício dessas habilidades. Desse modo, atingimos o objetivo específico de investigar uma abordagem para apoiar o exercício do Pensamento Computacional no ensino superior em Computação. Como resultados desta pesquisa também podemos citar: contribuições conceituais: definição do Pensamento Computacional e suas habilidades no contexto do ensino superior em Computação; relação dos passos realizados durante a resolução de um desafio com as habilidades do Pensamento Computacional; e definição de como coletar evidências do exercício do Pensamento Computacional; contribuição metodológica: como conduzir atividades que foquem no exercício do Pensamento Computacional no ensino superior em Computação; e contribuição técnica: abordagem formatada em material didático.Abstract: The curriculum guidelines for Computing undergraduate courses point out that computational thinking should be a skill exercised by all students in those courses. However, they do not reveal when and how these skills should be developed. The literature in the area also recognizes the importance and relevance of Computational Thinking. There is still little evidence around how to support the exercise of these skills in higher education in Computing. Given the above, this research aimed to investigate an approach to support the exercise of Computational Thinking in higher education in Computing. The Pense Computacionalmente approach was created to support teachers and researchers during the design and conduct of educational practices that promote the exercise of computational thinking through the process of solving challenges considering the four pillars of computational thinking. The approach is based on the premise that Computational Thinking should be explicitly exercised in the first semester of undergraduate courses in a meaningful, collaborative, contextualized, unplugged, and challenge-based way. We developed the approach to be used or adapted for different educational contexts, comprising: a set of guidelines on how to prepare and conduct the exercise of Computational Thinking; a set of seven practices (challenges) to be used or to inspire the creation of new ones; a method to guide the conduct of the practice and instruct the students to propose a solution; and an artifact to support the analysis of solutions to collect evidence from the exercise of Computational Thinking. In order to try out the approach and investigate its strengths and weaknesses, we carried out six case studies. The case studies were conducted in different offerings of the subject Introduction to Computer Science, of the Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics at UFPR. The studies' results reveal that the challenges were well evaluated by both teachers and students, and were very good at provoking reasoning and promoting students' interest. In addition, the results demonstrate that students exercised Computational Thinking and developed the perception of exercising these skills. In this way, we achieved the specific objective of investigating an approach to support the exercise of Computational Thinking in higher education in Computing. As results of this research, we can also mention: conceptual contributions: the definition of Computational Thinking and its abilities in the context of higher education in Computing; the relationship of the steps taken during the challenge resolution with Computational Thinking skills; and the characterization of how to collect evidence of the exercise of the Computational Thinking; methodological contribution: how to conduct activities that focus on the exercise of Computational Thinking in higher education in Computing; and technical contribution: approach formatted in didactic material