Implementation of a Curriculum to Enhance Learning Management Competency in Computational Thinking for the Lower Secondary Teachers

Abstract

Teaching computational thinking develops students in analytical thinking, systematic thinking, step by step reasoning to solve problems, applicable to real-life problems, and can be integrated across a wide range of disciplines, combining knowledge to create works and extend knowledge to other subjects. The objective of this study was to examine the outcomes of a curriculum to enhance learning management competency in computational thinking for lower secondary teachers. The samples were 4 teachers selected by purposive sampling, and 123 grade 8 students selected by the criterion of 70% from private schools under Mahasarakham Provincial Education Office, Office of the Private Education Commission, Thailand. The instruments for the lower secondary teachers were; 1) a test to measure knowledge and understanding of teachers' computational thinking learning management, 2) an assessment form for learning activity design ability, and 3) an observational form of learning management ability, while a computational thinking ability test was employed to the students. The data were analyzed by mean, percentage, standard deviation, and the Wilcoxon signed rank test. The results were; 1) the teachers after the workshop had higher knowledge and understanding of computational thinking learning management than before the workshop; 2) the teachers were able to design learning management that promotes computational thinking at a high level; 3) the teachers were able to provide learning management that promotes computational thinking: overall, the average was good; and 4) the students' computational thinking ability after learning was higher than before learning at a statistical level of .05.