Online Learning Using Block-based Programming to Foster Computational Thinking Abilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors

  • Virawan Amnouychokanant Division of Learning Innovation and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Education and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Pracha Uthit Rd., Bang Mod, Thung Khru, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
  • Surapon Boonlue Department of Educational Communications and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Education and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Pracha Uthit Rd., Bang Mod, Thung Khru, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
  • Saranya Chuathong Department of Educational Communications and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Education and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Pracha Uthit Rd., Bang Mod, Thung Khru, Bangkok 10140, Thailand
  • Kuntida Thamwipat Department of Educational Communications and Technology, Faculty of Industrial Education and Technology, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Pracha Uthit Rd., Bang Mod, Thung Khru, Bangkok 10140, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v16i13.22591

Keywords:

Block-based programming, computational thinking, computational thinking components, COVID-19, online learning, working in pairs

Abstract


The COVID 19 pandemic has affected global education. In Thailand, all educational institutions temporarily closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, teaching and learning still need to be continued. It is necessary to switch the learning activities to online learning. In this study, we designed online learning activities for developing computational thinking (CT) of students and carried out an experiment with 90 participants (first-year students enrolled in a Bachelor of Education Program in educational technology and communications at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi). At the beginning of the experiment, all participants were asked to take a CT test to measure their CT. The test is consistent with other CT tests under validation. During the sessions, all participants were taught by Thunkable. After the experiment, they took the CT test again. The results show that by improving CT through block-based programming projects, students’ performance improved significantly. In conclusion, block-based programming and working in pairs are combinations that can potentially help students to perform better, in turn affecting their performance in projects.

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Published

2021-07-13

How to Cite

Amnouychokanant, V., Boonlue, S., Chuathong, S., & Thamwipat, K. (2021). Online Learning Using Block-based Programming to Foster Computational Thinking Abilities during the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 16(13), pp. 227–247. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v16i13.22591

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Papers