TY - JOUR
T1 - Mathematics learning through computational thinking activities
T2 - A systematic literature review
AU - Barcelos, Thiago S.
AU - Munoz, Roberto
AU - Villarroel, Rodolfo
AU - Merino, Erick
AU - Silveira, Ismar F.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© J.UCS.
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - Computational Thinking represents a terminology that embraces the complex set of reasoning processes that are held for problem stating and solving through a computational tool. The ability of systematizing problems and solve them by these means is currently being considered a skill to be developed by all students, together with Language, Mathematics and Sciences. Considering that Computer Science has many of its roots on Mathematics, it is reasonable to ponder if and how Mathematics learning can be influenced by offering activities related to Computational Thinking to students. In this sense, this article presents a Systematic Literature Review on reported evidences of Mathematics learning in activities aimed at developing Computational Thinking skills. Forty-two articles which presented didactic activities together with an experimental design to evaluate learning outcomes published from 2006 to 2017 were analyzed. The majority of identified activities used a software tool or hardware device for their development. In these papers, a wide variety of mathematical topics has been being developed, with some emphasis on Planar Geometry and Algebra. Conversion of models and solutions between different semiotic representations is a high level cognitive skill that is most frequently associated to educational outcomes. This review indicated that more recent articles present a higher level of rigor in methodological procedures to assess learning effects. However, joint analysis of evidences from more than one data source is still not frequently used as a validation procedure.
AB - Computational Thinking represents a terminology that embraces the complex set of reasoning processes that are held for problem stating and solving through a computational tool. The ability of systematizing problems and solve them by these means is currently being considered a skill to be developed by all students, together with Language, Mathematics and Sciences. Considering that Computer Science has many of its roots on Mathematics, it is reasonable to ponder if and how Mathematics learning can be influenced by offering activities related to Computational Thinking to students. In this sense, this article presents a Systematic Literature Review on reported evidences of Mathematics learning in activities aimed at developing Computational Thinking skills. Forty-two articles which presented didactic activities together with an experimental design to evaluate learning outcomes published from 2006 to 2017 were analyzed. The majority of identified activities used a software tool or hardware device for their development. In these papers, a wide variety of mathematical topics has been being developed, with some emphasis on Planar Geometry and Algebra. Conversion of models and solutions between different semiotic representations is a high level cognitive skill that is most frequently associated to educational outcomes. This review indicated that more recent articles present a higher level of rigor in methodological procedures to assess learning effects. However, joint analysis of evidences from more than one data source is still not frequently used as a validation procedure.
KW - Computational thinking
KW - Curriculum
KW - Mathematics
KW - Teaching/learning strategies
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85051735640&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85051735640
VL - 24
SP - 815
EP - 845
JO - Journal of Universal Computer Science
JF - Journal of Universal Computer Science
SN - 0948-695X
IS - 7
ER -