Constructing and Validating a Cognitive Model of Computational Thinking: Evidence From Cognitive Interview Methods (Poster 5)

• In Event: Thursday Poster Session 12:40 pm
  In Poster Session: Engineering and Computer Science Education Posters

Abstract

Computational thinking (CT) is a thought process linked to problem-solving. In this study, we constructed a cognitive model of CT and validated it through a cognitive interview approach to understand the process of solving computational problems. Participants, two computer science teachers and six students, were selected from two primary schools in China. They were prompted with two questions and instructed to verbalize their thoughts while programming in Scratch. Our findings revealed that the cognitive model effectively described participants’ thought processes throughout the problem-solving process. Moreover, the expert-novice study demonstrated discernible differences in CT performances. These results provide substantive evidence for comprehending and interpreting CT in the process of solving complex tasks and exhibit considerable promise to support CT assessment.

Authors

• Fangwen Wu, Hangzhou Normal University

• Xiangdong Yang, East China Normal University