ERIC Number: EJ1269133
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Oct
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1042-1629
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Available Date: N/A
Promoting Computational Thinking of Both Sciences- and Humanities-Oriented Students: An Instructional and Motivational Design Perspective
Katai, Zoltan
Educational Technology Research and Development, v68 n5 p2239-2261 Oct 2020
We proposed to investigate whether properly calibrated e-learning environments can efficiently promote computational thinking of both sciences- and humanities-oriented people. We invited two groups of students (sciences- vs. humanities-oriented members) to participate in a six-stage learning session: to watch a folk-dance illustration (s1) and an animation (s2) of the bubble-sort algorithm; to reconstruct the algorithm on the same input (s3); to orchestrate the algorithm on a random input stored in a white(s4)/black(s5) array (visible/invisible sequence) and to watch a parallel simulation of several sorting algorithms as they work side-by-side on different color-scale bars (s6). To assess the current motivation of students we created nine specific questionnaires (Q1-9). The experiment we conducted included the following task sequence: Q1-2, s1, Q3, s2, Q4, s3, Q5, s4, Q6, s5, Q7, s6, Q8-9. We focused on assessing the motivational contributions of the generated (situational factors) emotions, challenge and active involvement during the e-learning experience. Research results revealed that there are no unbridgeable differences in the way these two groups relate to e-learning processes that aim to promote computational thinking. Although sciences-oriented students' motivational-scores were consistently superior to their humanities-oriented colleagues, there was strong correlation between them; furthermore, differences diminished as both groups advanced with their learning tasks.
Descriptors: Computation, Thinking Skills, Intellectual Disciplines, Instructional Design, Student Motivation, Electronic Learning, Educational Environment, Instructional Effectiveness, Learning Processes
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A