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Computational Thinking Ability Transition Analysis: A Case Study of the Transition from Unplugged Learning to Plugged Coding among Grade V Students

Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Computational thinking is an important competency to develop from the elementary school level because it supports logical, analytical, creative, and systematic problem-solving in the digital era. This study analyzes how Grade V students transition from flowchart-based unplugged learning to plugged coding using Scratch, focusing on decomposition, abstraction, algorithms, and pattern recognition. The study used a descriptive qualitative case study design. Data were collected through participatory observation, in-depth interviews with teachers and students, documentation of student projects, and questionnaires. The findings show that everyday analogies were identified as a cognitive bridge between the unplugged and plugged phases. Students showed relatively stronger abilities in pattern recognition and abstraction, followed by decomposition, although abstraction developed implicitly and was not yet fully understood conceptually. Algorithms were the most challenging component, even though some students constructed executable command sequences through direct digital exploration without consistent written planning. In conclusion, the transition occurred unevenly across the four components, and the findings suggest the relevance of adaptive, context-based coding practices that connect unplugged and plugged activities in the observed learning context.
DOI: 10.31258/jes.10.11.p.627-643
Language: English
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7225336588
FWCI:
Cites: 31
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Related to: 10