The randomized control trial (RCT) is the primary experimental design in education research due to its strong internal validity for causal inference. However, in situations where RCTs are not feasible or ethical, quasi-experiments are alternatives to establish causal inference. This paper serves as an introduction to several quasi-experimental…

This study examined bias reduction in the eight nonequivalent comparison group designs (NECGDs) that result from combining (a) choice of a local versus non-local comparison group, and analytic use or not of (b) a pretest measure of the study outcome and (c) a rich set of other covariates. Bias was estimated as the difference in causal estimate…

Coding learning can promote the development of computational thinking (CT) in young children. The effect of coding learning on CT may vary between different cultures. However, it lacks studies to evaluate the effect of coding learning on the various dimensions of CT in young Chinese children. To provide insight into this question, we recruited…

This study aims to examine the effect of augmented reality-assisted programming education supported by participatory design on the basic and computational thinking skills of preschoolers. In the study, a pretest-posttest single-group semi-experimental design, which is one of the quantitative research methods, was used. The study group of the…

Different instructional strategies have been drawn to assist elementary school students in improving computational thinking (CT) skills and student engagement (SE) in unplugged programming activities. This paper aimed to explore how the interactive strategies of unplugged programming affect CT skills and SE. The study was conducted based on a…

Computational Thinking (CT) is regarded as a crucial competency for all children in the 21st century. There are misconceptions about CT which confounds CT skills with programming skills. However, CT skills and programming skills are not the same. CT is a broader skillset of cognitive thinking that is integral to complex problem solving. Teaching…

Contribution: This study represents the first systematic attempt to develop Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) integrated project-based learning (PBL) as a transdisciplinary teaching method for fostering students' creativity and computational thinking (CT) skills. Background: With the growing importance of creativity…

This study aimed to examine whether a computational thinking (CT) intervention related to (a) number knowledge and arithmetic (b) algebra, and (c) geometry impacts students' learning performance in primary schools. To this end, a quasi-experimental, nonequivalent group design was employed, with 61 students assigned to the experimental group and 47…

Collaborative learning by teaching (CLBT) is a pedagogical approach that combines collaborative learning and learning by teaching pedagogy, which can be applied to university classrooms with the support of information and communication technology (ICT). This pedagogy not only emphasizes the independent learning of group members, but also…

Identifying students at risk of failing a course has potential benefits, such as recommending the At-Risk students to various interventions that could improve pass rates. The challenges however, are firstly in measuring how effective these interventions are, i.e. measuring treatment effects, and secondly, to not only predict overall (average)…

The aim of this research is to determine the effects of Scratch and Alice tools and programming teaching practices on student engagement, reflective thinking and problem-solving skills and computational thinking (CT) comparatively. A quasi-experimental design was used in the research and patterns with pretest-posttest control group were chosen for…

The purpose of this analysis was to assess whether effects of first-grade mathematics intervention apply across the range of at-risk learners' initial skill levels. Students were randomly assigned to control (n = 213) and two variants of intervention (n = 385) designed to improve arithmetic. Of each 30-minute intervention session (48 over 16…

In experimental evaluations of policy interventions, the so-called Bloom adjustment is commonly used to estimate the impact of the treatment on the treated. It does so by rescaling the estimated impact of the intention to treat--that is, the overall treatment-control group difference in outcomes for the entire experimental sample--by the…

The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) uses the term "baseline equivalence" when determining if the intervention group (those that received the intervention of interest) and the comparison group (those that did not receive the intervention) had characteristics that were similar enough ("equivalent") at the start of the study (at…

The development of programming skills is currently promoting from an early school age, trying to get children to take an active and creative role in the use of technologies. The objective of this article is to verify the repercussion of educational robotics activities on kindergarten students in the acquisition of computational thinking and…