Poster #13 - Employing a Think-Aloud Approach to Assess Young Learners' Computational Thinking

• In Event: 43.081 - MTCC Poster Session Nine
  In Poster Session: 43.081-2 - Technology, Instruction, Cognition, and Learning: A Survey of Research

Abstract

This paper presents part of a larger-scale project examining the cognitive aspects of developing computational thinking skills among upper elementary/middle school-aged learners. In this work, we focus on assessing young learners’ early development of computational thinking through a think-aloud approach. Data were collected from 12 middle school students’ thinking process while engaging in a Scratch-based design scenario, after they participated in an after-school computing program for one semester. To better understand students’ computational thinking skills, students were asked to verbalize their thought process. Preliminary findings revealed the potential of using the think-aloud method to assess students’ CT. Results have implications for the design of assessments for computational thinking.

Authors

• Yi-Cheng Pan, University of Delaware

• Hui Yang, University of Delaware

• Chrystalla Mouza, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Lori Pollock, University of Delaware