Computational Thinking programs in primary education: a systematic review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1344/der.2023.44.133-145Keywords:
Computational thinking, primary education, educational programs, programming learningAbstract
Computational thinking (CT) describes a type of analytical thinking related to computer science and programming. The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) have developed a definition to promote the inclusion of CT in education in the US. The goal of this systematic review is to describe the educational programs that teach CT in primary education (age range 6-14 years) published in indexed scientific journals, following the PRISMA guidelines. The search strategy was carried out in the following five databases: Dialnet, Psycinfo, Scopus, PyscNET and ERIC. A total of 40 articles met the inclusion criteria. The most used programing environment were Scratch (55%), unplugged activities (15%) and Code.org (10%). The software found worked several of the core PC competencies as defined by CSTA & ISTE. This systematic review collects and synthesizes for the first time the educational programs that have proven to be useful for working on CT in children aged 6 to 14 years and relates them to the CT standards established by CSTA, contributing to the knowledge of the tools available to use in the educational field.
References
Acevedo, H. M. V., Suarez, L. J. L., & Medina, L. D. F. (2024). Pensamiento Computacional: una competencia del siglo XXI: Revisión sistemática en Scopus. Revista Latinoamericana Ogmios, 4(9), 1-16.
Adell Segura, J., Llopis Nebot, M. Á., Esteve Mon, F. M., & Valdeolivas Novella, M. G. (2019). El debate sobre el pensamiento computacional en educación. RIED. Revista Iberoamericana de Educación a Distancia. https://doi.org/10.5944/ried.22.1.22303
Aho, A. V. (2012). Computation and computational thinking. The computer journal, 55(7), 832-835. https://doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1093/comjnl/bxs074
*Aksit, O., & Wiebe, E. N. (2020). Exploring force and motion concepts in middle grades using computational modeling: A classroom intervention study. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 29(1), 65-82. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-019-09800-z
*Allsop, Y. (2019). Assessing computational thinking process using a multiple evaluation approach. International journal of child-computer interaction, 19, 30-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcci.2018.10.004
*Anuar, N. H., Mohamad, F. S., & Minoi, J. L. (2020). Contextualising computational thinking: A case study in remote rural sarawak borneo. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 19(8), 98-116. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.8.6
*Asad, K., Tibi, M., & Raiyn, J. (2016). Primary School Pupils' Attitudes toward Learning Programming through Visual Interactive Environments. World journal of education, 6(5), 20-26. https://doi.org/10.5430/wje.v6n5p20
Barr, V., & Stephenson, C. (2011). Bringing computational thinking to K-12: What is involved and what is the role of the computer science education community?. Acm Inroads, 2(1), 48-54. doi:10.1145/1929887.1929905
Baser, M. (2013). Attitude, Gender and Achievement in Computer Programming. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research, 14(2), 248-255. 10.5829/idosi.mejsr.2013.14.2.2007
Baytak, A., & Land, S. M. (2011). An investigation of the artifacts and process of constructing computers games about environmental science in a fifth-grade classroom. Educational Technology Research and Development, 59(6), 765-782. https://doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1007/s11423-010-9184-z
Bebras Computational Challenges Recommended by UK Bebras Challenges (2015). Retrieved from http://bebras.uk
Bebras. (2018). International Challenge on Informatics and Computational Thinking. Retrieved from http://www.bebras.org/
*Benton, L., Kalas, I., Saunders, P., Hoyles, C., & Noss, R. (2018). Beyond jam sandwiches and cups of tea: An exploration of primary pupils' algorithm‐evaluation strategies. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 34(5), 590-601. https://doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1111/jcal.12266
Bers, M. U., & Resnick, M. (2015). The official ScratchJr book: Help your kids learn to code. No Starch Press.
Bers, M. U. (2017). Coding as a playground: Programming and computational thinking in the early childhood classroom. Routledge.
Bocconi, S., Chioccariello, A., Dettori, G., Ferrari, A., Engelhardt, K., Kampylis, P., & Punie, Y. (2016). Exploring the field of computational thinking as a 21st century skill. Proceedings of the EDULEARN16, 16, 4725-4733. Doi: 10.21125/edulearn.2016.2136
Brennan, K., & Resnick, M. (2012, April). New frameworks for studying and assessing the development of computational thinking. In Proceedings of the 2012 annual meeting of the American educational research association, Vancouver, Canada (Vol. 1, p. 25). http://scratched.gse.harvard.edu/ct/files/AERA2012.pdf
Burke, Q. (2012). The markings of a new pencil: Introducing programming-as-writing in the middle school classroom. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 4(2), 121-135. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ985683.pdf
*Caballero-González, Y. A., & García-Valcárcel, A. (2020). Learning with robotics in primary education? A means of stimulating computational thinking. Education in the Knowledge Society, 21(10), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.14201/eks.21443
Cearreta-Urbieta, I. (2015). Scratch como recurso didáctico para el desarrollo del Pensamiento Computacional de los alumnos de Secundaria y Bachillerato en la asignatura de Informática y como recurso transversal en el resto de asignaturas (Master's thesis). Universidad Internacional de la Rioja (UNIR) https://reunir.unir.net/handle/123456789/3150
*Cervera, N., Diago, P. D., Orcos, L., & Yáñez, D. F. (2020). The acquisition of computational thinking through mentoring: an exploratory study. Education Sciences, 10(8), 202. 10.3390/educsci10080202
*Chen, K. Z., & Chi, H. H. (2020). Novice young board-game players’ experience about computational thinking. Interactive Learning Environments, 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2020.1722712
*Chou, P. N. (2020). Using ScratchJr to foster young children’s computational thinking competence: A case study in a third-grade computer class. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 58(3), 570-595. 10.1177/0735633119872908
Computer Science Teachers Association (2017). CSTA. https://www.csteachers.org/page/standards
Eaton, S. E. (2017). Book review: Coe, R., Waring, M., Hedges, LV, & Arthur, J. (Eds.). (2017). Research methods and methodologies in education. Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, (184). http://cjc-rcc.ucalgary.ca/index.php/cjeap/article/view/42501/30934
*del Olmo-Muñoz, J., Cózar-Gutiérrez, R., & González-Calero, J. A. (2020). Computational thinking through unplugged activities in early years of Primary Education. Computers & Education, 150, 103832. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.103832
*Hooshyar, D., Malva, L., Yang, Y., Pedaste, M., Wang, M., & Lim, H. (2021). An adaptive educational computer game: Effects on students' knowledge and learning attitude in computational thinking. Computers in Human Behavior, 114, 106575. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106575
*Hsiao, H. S., Lin, Y. W., Lin, K. Y., Lin, C. Y., Chen, J. H., & Chen, J. C. (2022). Using robot-based practices to develop an activity that incorporated the 6E model to improve elementary school students’ learning performances. Interactive Learning Environments, 30(1), 85-99. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2019.1636090
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) y Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA). (2011). Operational Definition of Computational Thinking for K–12 Education. http://www.iste.org/docs/ct-documents/computationalthinking-operationaldefinition-flyer.pdf?sfvrsn=2
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). (2021). Computational Thinking Competencies. https://www.iste.org/standards/computational-thinking
* Jiang, S., & Wong, G. K. (2022). Exploring age and gender differences of computational thinkers in primary school: A developmental perspective. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 38(1), 60-75. 10.1111/jcal.12591
*Jun, S., Han, S., & Kim, S. (2017). Effect of design-based learning on improving computational thinking. Behaviour & Information Technology, 36(1), 43-53. https://doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1080/0144929X.2016.1188415
*Kawada, K., Okamoto, K., Tamai, T., & Ohnishi, Y. (2019). A Study on Developmentally Appropriate Programming Education Learning Materials for Lower-Elementary School Students. Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics, 31(3), 441-451. https://doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.20965/jrm.2019.p0441
*Kert, S. B., ErkoÇ, M. F., & Yeni, S. (2020). The effect of robotics on six graders’ academic achievement, computational thinking skills and conceptual knowledge levels. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 38, 100714. 10.1016/j.tsc.2020.100714
Korkmaz, O., Cakir, R., & Ozden, M. Y. (2017). A validity and reliability study of the computational thinking scales (CTS). Computers in Human Behavior, 72, 558–569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.01.005
Korkmaz, O., & Bai, X. (2019). Adapting computational thinking scale (CTS) for Chinese high school students and their thinking scale skills level. Participatory Educational Research, 6(1), 10–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.17275/per.19.2.6.1
*Kyza, E. A., Georgiou, Y., Agesilaou, A., & Souropetsis, M. (2022). A Cross-Sectional Study Investigating Primary School Children’s Coding Practices and Computational Thinking Using ScratchJr. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 60(1), 220–257. https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331211027387
Learning Science Laboratory of Peking University (2019). Computational Thinking grade measurement. https://ceping.gamification.org.cn/
* Leonard, J., Buss, A., Gamboa, R., Mitchell, M., Fashola, O. S., Hubert, T., & Almughyirah, S. (2016). Using robotics and game design to enhance children’s self-efficacy, STEM attitudes, and computational thinking skills. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 25(6), 860-876. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-016-9628-2
Journal of Science Education and Technology, 25(6), 860-876. https://doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1007/s10956-016-9628-2
*Li, X., Xie, K., Vongkulluksn, V., Stein, D., & Zhang, Y. (2021). Developing and Testing a Design-Based Learning Approach to Enhance Elementary Students’ Self-Perceived Computational Thinking. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2021.1962453
*Ma, H., Zhao, M., Wang, H., Wan, X., Cavanaugh, T. W., & Liu, J. (2021). Promoting pupils’ computational thinking skills and self-efficacy: a problem-solving instructional approach. Educational Technology Research and Development, 69(3), 1599-1616. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-021-10016-5
*Melander Bowden, H. (2019). Problem-solving in collaborative game design practices: epistemic stance, affect, and engagement. Learning, Media and Technology, 44(2), 124-143. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2018.1563106
* Min, S. H., & Kim, M. K. (2020). Developing children’s computational thinking through physical computing lessons. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 13(2), 183-198. 10.26822/iejee.2021.183
Ministry of Education (2015). Activation plan for SW education in K-12. Korea.
*Moore, T. J., Brophy, S. P., Tank, K. M., Lopez, R. D., Johnston, A. C., Hynes, M. M., & Gajdzik, E. (2020). Multiple representations in computational thinking tasks: a clinical study of second-grade students. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 29(1), 19-34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-020-09812-0
Moreno-León, J., Robles, G., & Román-González, M. (2015). Dr. Scratch: Automatic analysis of scratch projects to assess and foster computational thinking. RED. Revista de Educación a Distancia, (46), 1-23. https://revistas.um.es/red/article/view/240251
*Moreno-León, J., Robles, G., & Román-González, M. (2016). Code to learn: Where does it belong in the K-12 curriculum. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 15, 283-303. https://doi.org/10.28945/3521
Morris, D., & Trushell, J. (2014). Computer programming, ICT and gender in the classroom: a male-dominated domain or a female preserve? Research in teacher education, 4(1), 4-9. https://doi.org/10.15123/uel.859y6
*Noh, J., & Lee, J. (2020). Effects of robotics programming on the computational thinking and creativity of elementary school students. Educational technology research and development, 68(1), 463-484. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-019-09708-w
*Ntourou, V., Kalogiannakis, M., & Psycharis, S. (2021). A study of the impact of Arduino and Visual Programming In self-efficacy, motivation, computational thinking and 5th grade students’ perceptions on electricity. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 17(5), em1960. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/10842
* Özcan, M. Ş., Çetinkaya, E., Göksun, T., & Kisbu‐Sakarya, Y. (2021). Does learning to code influence cognitive skills of elementary school children? Findings from a randomized experiment. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 91(4), 1434-1455. DOI:10.1111/bjep.12429
*Özmutlu, M., Atay, D., & Erdoğan, B. (2021). Collaboration and engagement-based coding training to enhance children’s computational thinking self-efficacy. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 40, 100833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2021.100833
Papert, S. (1980). Computers for children. Mindstorms: Children, computers, and powerful ideas, 3-18.
Pérez-Marín, D., Hijón-Neira, R., & Martín-Lope, M. (2018). A methodology proposal based on metaphors to teach programming to children. IEEE Revista Iberoamericana de tecnologias del aprendizaje, 13(1), 46-53. https://doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1109/RITA.2018.2809944
*Pérez-Marín, D., Hijón-Neira, R., Bacelo, A., & Pizarro, C. (2020). Can computational thinking be improved by using a methodology based on metaphors and scratch to teach computer programming to children? Computers in Human Behavior, 105, 105849. https://doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1016/j.chb.2018.12.027
*Pinkard, N., Martin, C. K., & Erete, S. (2020). Equitable approaches: opportunities for computational thinking with emphasis on creative production and connections to community. Interactive Learning Environments, 28(3), 347-361. DOI: 10.1080/10494820.2019.1636070
Portelance, D.J., & Bers, M.U. (2015). Code and tell: assessing young children's learning of computational thinking using peer video interviews with ScratchJr. Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Interaction Design and Children [Conference presentation]. 10.1145/2771839.2771894
Psycharis, S., & Kotzampasaki, E. (2019). The Impact of a STEM Inquiry Game Learning Scenario on Computational Thinking and Computer Self-confidence. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 15(4), em1689. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/103071
*Qu, J. R., & Fok, P. K. (2021). Cultivating students’ computational thinking through student–robot interactions in robotics education. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-021-09677-3
Relkin, E., de Ruiter, L., & Bers, M. U. (2020). TechCheck: Development and validation of an unplugged assessment of computational thinking in early childhood education. Journal of Science Education and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-020-09831-x
*Relkin, E., de Ruiter, L. E., & Bers, M. U. (2021). Learning to code and the acquisition of computational thinking by young children. Computers & Education, 169, 104222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2021.104222
Repenning, A., Webb, D., & Ioannidou, A. (2010, March). Scalable game design and the development of a checklist for getting computational thinking into public schools. In Proceedings of the 41st ACM technical symposium on Computer science education (pp. 265-269). https://doi.org/10.1145/1734263.1734357
*Ríos Félix, J. M., Zatarain Cabada, R., & Barrón Estrada, M. L. (2020). Teaching computational thinking in Mexico: A case study in a public elementary school. Education and Information Technologies, 25(6), 5087-5101. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10213-4
*Rodríguez-Martínez, J. A., González-Calero, J. A., & Sáez-López, J. M. (2020). Computational thinking and mathematics using Scratch: an experiment with sixth-grade students. Interactive Learning Environments, 28(3), 316-327. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2019.1612448
Román-González, M. (2015) Computational Thinking Test: Design Guidelines and Content Validation, in: Proc. 7th Annu. Int. Conf. Educ. New Learn. Technol. (EDULEARN 2015), 2015: pp. 2436–2444. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.4203.4329.
*Román-González, M., Pérez-González, J. C., Moreno-León, J., & Robles, G. (2018). Can computational talent be detected? Predictive validity of the Computational Thinking Test. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 18, 47-58. https://doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1016/j.ijcci.2018.06.004
Scalable Game Design wiki. (2015, September 14). Scalable Game Design wiki. Retrieved 11:29, March 29, 2021 from http://wiki.computationalthinkingfoundation.org/wiki/index.php?title=Scalable_Game_Design_wiki&oldid=12459.
*Soleimani, A., Herro, D., & Green, K. E. (2019). CyberPLAYce—A tangible, interactive learning tool fostering children’s computational thinking through storytelling. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 20, 9-23. https://doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1016/j.ijcci.2019.01.002
Tangney, B., Oldham, E., Conneely, C., Barrett, S., & Lawlor, J. (2009). Pedagogy and processes for a computer programming outreach workshop—The bridge to college model. IEEE Transactions on Education, 53(1), 53-60. https://doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1109/TE.2009.2023210
The Computational Thinking Study. (2019). EU Science Hub - European Commission. https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/computational-thinking
Tran, Y. (2018). Computational thinking equity in elementary classrooms: What third-grade students know and can do. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 57, 3–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/0735633117743918
*Von Wangenheim, C. G., Alves, N. C., Rodrigues, P. E., & Hauck, J. C. (2017). Teaching Computing in a Multidisciplinary Way in Social Studies Classes in School-A Case Study. International Journal of Computer Science Education in Schools, 1(2), 3-16. https://doi.org/10.21585/ijcses.v1i2.9
Wing, J. M. (2006). Computational thinking. Communications of the ACM, 49(3), 33-35.
Wing, J. M. (2008). Computational thinking and thinking about computing. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 366(1881), 3717-3725. https://doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1098/rsta.2008.0118
Wing, J. M. (2011). Research Notebook: Computational Thinking - What and Why? The Link. Pittsburg: Carnegie Mellon. https://www.cs.cmu. edu/link/research-notebookcomputational-thinking- what-and-why.
Wing, J. (2016). Computational thinking, 10 years later. Microsoft Research Blog. https:// blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/msr_er/2016/03/23/computational-thinking-10-years-later/
*Wong, G. K. W., & Cheung, H. Y. (2018). Exploring children’s perceptions of developing twenty-first century skills through computational thinking and programming. Interactive Learning Environments, 28 (4), 438-450. https://doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1080/10494820.2018.1534245
*Xuefeng Wei, Lin Lin, Nanxi Meng, Wei Tan, Siu-Cheung Kong, Kinshuk. (2021). The effectiveness of partial pair programming on elementary school students’ Computational Thinking skills and self-efficacy. Computers & Education, Volume 160, 104023,ISSN 0360-1315, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.104023.
Yadav, A., Gretter, S., Good, J., & McLean, T. (2017). Computational thinking in teacher education. In Emerging research, practice, and policy on computational thinking (pp. 205-220). Springer, Cham. https://doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1007/978-3-319-52691-1_13
Zapata-Ros, M. (2015). Pensamiento computacional: Una nueva alfabetización digital. Revista de Educación a Distancia (RED), (46). https://revistas.um.es/red/article/vweiiew/240321
*Zhan, Z., He, W., Yi, X., & Ma, S. (2022). Effect of Unplugged Programming Teaching Aids on Children’s Computational Thinking and Classroom Interaction: with Respect to Piaget’s Four Stages Theory. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 60(5), 1073–1083. https://doi-org.sire.ub.edu/10.1177/07356331211057143
* Referencia de publicación incluida en la muestra de publicaciones revisadas.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Rafael Sánchez Camacho, Mariona Grané
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
The authors who publish in this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication.
- The texts published in Digital Education Review, DER, are under a license Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4,0 Spain, of Creative Commons. All the conditions of use in: Creative Commons,
- In order to mention the works, you must give credit to the authors and to this Journal.
- Digital Education Review, DER, does not accept any responsibility for the points of view and statements made by the authors in their work.
