Measuring Children’s Computational Thinking and Problem-Solving in a Block-Based Programming Game
Computational thinking (CT) in young children (K to three) has been of much interest among educational researchers due to the applicability of CT to solving problems in daily life and various academic disciplines. This study uses existing data from children’s gameplay in a block-based programming ga...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Education Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/1/51 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832588634028507136 |
|---|---|
| author | Kayla Teng Gregory K. W. K. Chung |
| author_facet | Kayla Teng Gregory K. W. K. Chung |
| author_sort | Kayla Teng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Computational thinking (CT) in young children (K to three) has been of much interest among educational researchers due to the applicability of CT to solving problems in daily life and various academic disciplines. This study uses existing data from children’s gameplay in a block-based programming game called <i>codeSpark Academy</i> to examine the extent to which we can use children’s gameplay behavior to measure their CT and, more generally, their problem-solving skills. The objectives of the study are to operationalize CT and problem-solving constructs using gameplay data, investigate the relationship between CT and problem-solving, and position <i>codeSpark Academy</i> as a valid assessment tool. A total of 72 elementary students (aged 6–9) played <i>codeSpark Academy</i> once a week for six weeks. <i>TechCheck</i>, an externally developed and validated measure of CT, was administered before the first game day and after the last game day. Using fine-grained, moment-to-moment gameplay data, we developed and validated seven game-based indicators (GBIs) of CT using correlational analysis and nonparametric tests and integrated them into a problem-solving framework. Our findings showed that children’s gameplay behavior can be used to measure their CT and problem-solving skills. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-80754d4098f444fea75b7a39d56339bc |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2227-7102 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Education Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-80754d4098f444fea75b7a39d56339bc2025-01-24T13:30:23ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022025-01-011515110.3390/educsci15010051Measuring Children’s Computational Thinking and Problem-Solving in a Block-Based Programming GameKayla Teng0Gregory K. W. K. Chung1National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing, School of Education & Information Studies, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USANational Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing, School of Education & Information Studies, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USAComputational thinking (CT) in young children (K to three) has been of much interest among educational researchers due to the applicability of CT to solving problems in daily life and various academic disciplines. This study uses existing data from children’s gameplay in a block-based programming game called <i>codeSpark Academy</i> to examine the extent to which we can use children’s gameplay behavior to measure their CT and, more generally, their problem-solving skills. The objectives of the study are to operationalize CT and problem-solving constructs using gameplay data, investigate the relationship between CT and problem-solving, and position <i>codeSpark Academy</i> as a valid assessment tool. A total of 72 elementary students (aged 6–9) played <i>codeSpark Academy</i> once a week for six weeks. <i>TechCheck</i>, an externally developed and validated measure of CT, was administered before the first game day and after the last game day. Using fine-grained, moment-to-moment gameplay data, we developed and validated seven game-based indicators (GBIs) of CT using correlational analysis and nonparametric tests and integrated them into a problem-solving framework. Our findings showed that children’s gameplay behavior can be used to measure their CT and problem-solving skills.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/1/51computational thinkingproblem-solvinggame-based indicatorsmeasurementassessmentchildren |
| spellingShingle | Kayla Teng Gregory K. W. K. Chung Measuring Children’s Computational Thinking and Problem-Solving in a Block-Based Programming Game Education Sciences computational thinking problem-solving game-based indicators measurement assessment children |
| title | Measuring Children’s Computational Thinking and Problem-Solving in a Block-Based Programming Game |
| title_full | Measuring Children’s Computational Thinking and Problem-Solving in a Block-Based Programming Game |
| title_fullStr | Measuring Children’s Computational Thinking and Problem-Solving in a Block-Based Programming Game |
| title_full_unstemmed | Measuring Children’s Computational Thinking and Problem-Solving in a Block-Based Programming Game |
| title_short | Measuring Children’s Computational Thinking and Problem-Solving in a Block-Based Programming Game |
| title_sort | measuring children s computational thinking and problem solving in a block based programming game |
| topic | computational thinking problem-solving game-based indicators measurement assessment children |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/1/51 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kaylateng measuringchildrenscomputationalthinkingandproblemsolvinginablockbasedprogramminggame AT gregorykwkchung measuringchildrenscomputationalthinkingandproblemsolvinginablockbasedprogramminggame |