A mixed-method study : pre-service teachers’ learning of block- based programming and computational thinking

Abstract

The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-method study is to examine the effect of pair programming on pre-service teachers’ computational thinking skills and coding achievement and to explore pre-service teachers’ learning experiences of programming. The participants were 36 pre-service teachers who took the Instructional Technologies and Material Development course at Boğaziçi University. Online tasks and activities were designed on a web-based block coding platform (Scratch) and given to the two sections of the course. In the sections, the experimental group completed the Scratch tasks in pairs and, the control group completed the same Scratch tasks individually. The analysis showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the computational thinking skills scores and coding achievement test scores of the experimental group and the control group. However, when the pre-test and post-test results were compared within each group, the experimental and the control group significantly increased their computational thinking and coding achievement. The themes that emerged in the qualitative analysis, on the other hand, showed the importance of pair programming. This study underscored the benefits of pair programming in early error detection, increasing coding quality, facilitating knowledge transfer, enhancing problem-solving, and developing creativity. This study contributes significantly to the literature by emphasizing the importance of programming instruction given to pre-service teachers by using pair programming.