Effects of game-based learning integrated with different thinking-guided methods on computational thinking of elementary school students

The study developed an online game system for young students to learn computational thinking (CT), and explored the CT learning achievements and self-efficacy of students using two thinking-guided methods. One method was 5W1H, which is well known in science learning, and the other was concept-association-based concept mapping (CABCM). These thinking-guided methods, aimed at the beginning stage of problem analysis, were utilized before playing the online game, with the aim of helping students learn and solve CT tasks in the game scenarios. The research involved 54 students whose average age was 10, divided into two groups based on the different thinking-guided methods. The experimental results showed that students in both the CABCM and 5W1H groups demonstrated significant learning gains in CT achievement and self-efficacy from pre-test to post-test. While no statistically significant difference was found in the post-test scores between the two groups, a detailed analysis of learning behaviors revealed distinct problem-solving pathways associated with each thinking-guided method. The findings suggest that both integrated approaches effectively fostered CT skills, albeit through different cognitive processes. This research contributes to CT education by integrating thinking-guided methods into an online CT game. It offers empirical evidence on the effectiveness of such integrated approaches and provides insights into the processes and behaviors associated with different thinking-guided methods, shedding light on students' challenges in learning CT through games.