Integrating computational thinking into classroom practice : a case study

Abstract

Recent educational developments have seen increasing attention attributed to Computational Thinking (CT) and its integration into school curricula. This has brought along a series of challenges for teachers integrating CT into their practice. The study presented in this article explores the journey of a Maltese secondary school teacher in his efforts to integrate CT within the context of a Math club. The teacher participant was recruited from the Malta EU Codeweek summer school, a pilot initiative that stemmed from the EU Codeweek’s Train the Trainer programme carried out during summer 2021. The qualitative methodology involved a case study research, with data collected from an online discussion forum, interviews with the participant teacher as well as an analysis of the teaching material developed by the teacher. The results shed light on the CT aspects that were used to scaffold the teaching of mathematical concepts and highlight the challenges and obstacles that the teacher encountered in his integration efforts. The discussion proposes that non-formal learning environments, such as in-break activities, can serve as test-beds for CT integration and emphasises the need for CT to be introduced much earlier on in Maltese schools. Ultimately, this study can substantially help inform further research and practice around the integration of CT in classroom practice.