Pre-service teachers’ competencies to develop computational thinking: A Portuguese tool to analyse Computational Thinking
Rita Neves Rodrigues 1 2 3 * , Sónia Brito-Costa 1 4 , Maryam Abbasi 1 5 , Cecília Costa 2 3 , Fernando Martins 1 4 6
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1 Polytechnic University of Coimbra, Coimbra, PORTUGAL2 University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, PORTUGAL3 Research Center for Didactics and Technology in Trainer Training, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, PORTUGAL4 inED–Center for Research and Innovation in Education, Polytechnic University of Coimbra, Coimbra, PORTUGAL5 Research Center for Natural Resources Environment and Society, Polytechnic University of Coimbra, Coimbra, PORTUGAL6 Instituto de Telecomunicações, Delegação da Covilhã, Covilhã, PORTUGAL* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Computational thinking (CT) is an essential mathematical skill for problem-solving and students’ future lives. It is integrated into the educational curricula of several countries, including Portugal. Therefore, pre-service teachers (PST) must possess didactic knowledge to effectively develop CT in students. The aim of this study encompassed three main objectives: translating and adapting the computational thinking scale into Portuguese (study 1), validating the scale (study 2), and assessing the perceived levels of CT competencies among PST in Portuguese university students while examining differences between undergraduate and master’s level PST (study 3). The sample consisted of study 1 with 43 participants and study 2 and study 3 with 382 participants. In study 1, temporal stability was assessed indicating strong stability. The internal consistency showed good homogeneity of the items. The exploratory factor analysis revealed consistency with the structure of the original scale. In conclusion, the Portuguese version of the CT scale demonstrates adequate psychometric properties, proving valid and reliable for assessing CT in university students. Additionally, significant differences were observed between undergraduate and master’s degree students, underscoring the importance of tailored training programs to meet the specific needs of undergraduate students.

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 20, Issue 11, November 2024, Article No: em2528

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/15523

Publication date: 01 Nov 2024

Online publication date: 25 Oct 2024

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Article Downloads: 85

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