Educators and researchers are becoming interested in cultivating computational thinking (CT). However, in the Hong Kong context, CT-related studies regarding young children are rarely found. The present study aimed to use an unplugged digital arts activity to examine the CT concepts that children performed and document their CT developmental trajectories. Constructionism theory highlights the importance of children engaging in hands-on activities and developing independent thinking skills. Meanwhile, social constructivism theory emphasizes the role of teachers as scaffolders, supporting children in their learning processes. A sample of children (N = 27, aged 3-6) was recruited from a nursery school in Hong Kong to participate in an animation art workshop. A total of 540 min of video data was recorded and collected for content analysis. The teaching team (N = 4) for this workshop were invited to write up their reflective journals, capturing their observations of the scaffolding strategies employed and their perspectives on how children at various levels demonstrated their understanding of CT concepts throughout the entire process. Within an analytical framework based on powerful ideas, the findings from the observations and field notes revealed that the children's CT concepts and practices could be linked with the CT conceptual framework. In this study, older children showed a sophisticated competency and a more complicated mind structure in terms of the CT concept. Our findings highlight the importance of designing an age-appropriate curriculum for nurturing the computational thinking of young children through animation art. Copyright © 2024 Springer.

To promote computational thinking in mathematics education, Scratch is used to foster students' computational thinking and mathematical understanding. However, students face challenges in block-based programming environments, such as having low motivation, high anxiety, and cognitive loads. This study combined the pedagogical values of Geogebra and Scratch to enhance primary students' learning outcomes in computational thinking. We investigated two interventions (solely Scratch and Scratch combined with Geogebra) among 72 Hong Kong fifth-grade students. We found that students who learned computational thinking using Scratch and Geogebra had higher motivation, perceived ability, and lower cognitive load than those who only used Scratch. However, students' anxiety had no significant difference between the two groups. In addition, Students faced more challenges and gained less positive learning outcomes in Scratch group. The use of Geogebra can better complement Scratch in teaching computational thinking in primary mathematics classrooms. We identified the potential of using Geogebra to visualize mathematical knowledge and help students apply what they have learned in block-based languages. Pedagogical implications are provided for instructional design and teaching strategies of computational thinking integrated with STEM education. Copyright © 2025 Elsevier.

This study aims to examine the published scientific studies on computational thinking (CT) from the past to the present, based on the Web of Science (WoS) database. In this context, 3123 documents with CT content from the past to the present were evaluated. Articles and proceeding papers accessed from the database were analyzed with the help of bibliometric analysis under the titles of scientific productivity, network analysis, conceptual structure and thematic map. Within scientific productivity, the distribution of studies and citations by years, productive authors, most cited studies, productive institutions and productive countries were considered. A collaboration between authors, sources, institutions and countries was examined in network analysis. Keyword -based techniques were used to determine the intellectual structure of the CT topic. Finally, trend content and thematic changes were analyzed based on the conceptual structure and thematic map. The study analyzed 3123 scientific documents published by 6467 authors representing 83 countries. According to the findings, the number of scientific studies and citations on CT is increasing. Dagiene, V., Biswas, G., and Kong, S. C. are prolific authors. The Education University of Hong Kong, North Carolina State University and Natl Taiwan Normal University are among the most productive institutions. The USA, China, Spain, Brazil, and Italy are productive countries for CT. According to the network analysis, Computers & Education and Communications of the ACM journals stand out. As a thematic change, there are evolutions towards innovative approaches with skill and goal content in studies. At the end of the Multiple Correspondence Analysis performed to determine the conceptual structure in CT, dimension reductions were found to be approximately 43% of the total As some on the future of CT were shared. Copyright © 2024 Hacettepe University.

This study investigated the development of computational thinking (CT) in young children within the specific context of Hong Kong. The researchers utilized an unplugged digital arts activity to explore the CT knowledge exhibited by children and document their developmental trajectories. A sample of 23 children aged 3 to 6 years participated in an animation art workshop conducted in a Hong Kong kindergarten. The video data were recorded and analyzed in terms of content. Drawing on a three-dimensional framework combining powerful ideas for teaching coding, the observations and field notes revealed that children's CT knowledge construction aligned with the CT conceptual framework. Notably, older children demonstrated more advanced competences and more complex cognitive structures in terms of the design process, representation, algorithms, modularity, sequences, connecting, choices of conduct, and utilization of hardware/software. These findings emphasize the importance of designing age-appropriate curricula that foster children's CT skills through the animation art. Copyright ©2024 Routledge.

This study designed and evaluated a pedagogical innovation which used Scratch coding to foster Grade 4 students to co-develop subject knowledge and computational thinking (CT) in English Language classrooms. A 280-minute teaching in four lessons was arranged for 205 students from ten selected Grade 4 classes in three primary schools at Hong Kong. The Scratch-based pedagogy “To Play and Learn, To Think and Navigate, To Code”–supplementary with four Scratch games and four Scratch activity worksheets–was trialed for engaging students in Scratch coding to explore, think about, apply and consolidate English Language building blocks for talking about locations and directions. The pre-post-test results provide statistically significant evidence that students can advance all three topic-specific knowledge points and all four target CT concepts after learning under the designed pedagogy. The questionnaire survey results reveal the impact of the designed pedagogy on students’ growing awareness of the two target CT practices, and their growing confidence in coding. The focus group interview results reveal students’ confirmation on their success in and satisfaction with the designed pedagogy for developing English Language knowledge and CT competency through coding. This study validates that the pedagogical innovation of learning through coding is potential to foster the co-development of subject knowledge and CT competency in Grade 4 English Language classrooms. Future directions of integrating coding activities into senior primary curriculum are discussed. Copyright © 2022 Asia Pacific Society for Computers in Education.

Recent studies identify Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) as a key factor in enhancing cognitive development, particularly within Computational Thinking (CT) literature. However, research gaps remain in understanding how SRL and CT interact from a developmental perspective. Our study designed a program with tailored animations and worksheets to specifically foster students' learning and cognitive development. Using a mixed-methods approach, we administered surveys among 1235 students from 29 Hong Kong primary schools to investigate a dynamic learning system comprising SRL and CT in a large-scale CT program. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 students to further probe insights. Quantitative findings revealed a mutually reinforcing relationship in the dynamic system, suggesting that higher SRL skills enhance cognitive CT abilities, and vice versa. Complementing these results, qualitative findings showed that integrating animations and worksheets into the CT program significantly boosted students' SRL and cognitive development. These findings have significant implications for educational practices and curriculum design. Schools should consider implementing SRL strategies, such as proactive goal setting and reflective evaluation, within their curricula to promote students’ cognitive development. Furthermore, strategic investments in educational technology, including collaborations with EdTech developers, are essential to create effective, pedagogically sound tools that enhance learning outcomes. These insights provide valuable guidance for creating a supportive SRL environment that fosters cognitive development in primary school education. Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

Student-centered pedagogy (SCP) is highly considered for its potential to facilitate cognitive learning in Computational Thinking (CT) education. However, there is a noticeable gap in understanding its influence on students' cognitive development from a multilevel perspective. This study delves into cognitive learning theories and aims to bridge the existing gap by introducing a three-level conceptual model to illustrate how the influence of SCP on students' cognitive CT abilities is mediated through the cognitive learning processes. This multilevel approach simultaneously explores SCP within the intricate school environment where factors at the school, teacher, and student levels are closely intertwined. Data was collected from 82 programming teachers and their 2433 students across 43 Hong Kong primary schools. Using multilevel modeling, results indicate that the adoption of SCP is significantly anchored by school support on teacher professional development (TPD), which in turn enhances students’ cognitive learning (i.e., active, interactive, constructive, and reflective learning) in class, further contributing to their enhanced cognitive CT abilities. The findings underscore the nuances of SCP adoption in school scenarios, advocating for strategic approaches to maximize student achievements in CT education. Recommendations for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In this editorial, we discuss the affordances and challenges of emerging technologies in designing and implementing STEM education as a planned theme of this special issue. We view that emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality, have a double-edged sword effect on STEM learning and teaching. Exploring the effect will help provide a balanced view that simultaneously recognizes the benefits and pitfalls of the technologies and avoids overstating either one. This themed issue highlights how immersive and AI-driven learning environments advance and transform STEM education in different contexts. It consists of this editorial, three research reviews, and two empirical research articles contributed by scholars from five different regions, including Australia, Hong Kong, mainland China, Singapore, and the USA. They discussed the educational, social, and technological effects of emerging technologies. Each article discusses to various extent about the current research status, what and how the technologies can afford, and what concerns the technologies may bring to STEM education. © The Author(s), 2023.

The Hong Kong Education Bureau's paper titled "Computational Thinking – Coding Education: Supplement to the Primary Curriculum" published in 2020 has been a crucial step towards encouraging CT and coding education in Primary 4 to Primary 6 in Hong Kong. With technology increasingly being utilized in various industries, it has become crucial for students to acquire knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in the digital era. Computational Thinking (CT) has been demonstrated as a method of problem-solving that has helped students become better problem solvers and fostered a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. Therefore, incorporating CT into Mathematics Education (ME) has become a subject of much research in recent years, especially since systematic reviews have been carried out.In line with the Hong Kong Education Bureau (EDB)'s proposal, the Hong Kong Curriculum Development Council (CDC) has also emphasized the value of CT and coding instruction in preparing students for the digital era. Thus, the three-year study that has been conducted from January 2021 to May 2023 aims to examine the significance and impact of integrating CT into ME in senior primary education in Hong Kong.This study has concentrated on Hong Kong senior primary children, particularly those in Primary 6, and has employed a multi-phase approach. Initially, a comprehensive review of the current state of research on CT and ME has been conducted to inform the study design. Subsequently, data has been gathered from students, teachers, and schools using surveys and assessments. Statistical techniques have been applied to evaluate the collected data, focusing on establishing the relationship between CTE and ME, analyzing students' motivation to learn mathematics through CTE, and identifying the advantages of incorporating CTE into ME, including its impact on students' mathematical performance.The study uncovered several key findings concerning the integration of CT into ME in senior primary schools

While increasing the equitable participation in computer science (CS) education at schools, most existing studies focus on the acquisition of computational skills and measurements of cognitive skills as the learning outcome. The potential benefits of developing psychosocial attributes in the process of computational learning are of less concern, particularly for the underprivileged youth with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and from low-income family. To improve the inequitable learning in school, the "Project C program" has been developed to integrate computational participation and mentoring scheme through social-cognitive approach for underprivileged youth. The aim of this research is to investigate the psychosocial impact of the program, and examine the interrelation between hope, sense of community, and perceived social support in computational learning. The Project C program was piloted in a special school in Hong Kong under the category of "Schools for Children with Moderate Intellectual Disability," targeting 8th grade students (n = 51) with SEN (i.e., mild autism) living in low-income residential districts, and a self-reported pre/post questionnaire was administered to measure the psychosocial changes before and after the intervention. The findings reveal a statistically significant change in hope, sense of community, and perceived social support through the program, and the relation between sense of community and hope was fully mediated by the perceived social support. Based on the findings, theoretical and practical implications of social-cognitive approach to computational learning are discussed. Copyright © 2023 Springer.