Effect of Different Flow Design Approaches on Undergraduates' Computational Thinking During Pair Programming

Abstract

Computational thinking (CT), an essential competency for comprehending and addressing intricate issues in the digital world, has been incorporated into curriculum planning as a goal for programming education. This study introduced flow design into programming curricula to investigate its impact on undergraduates ’CT skills during pair work. Two types of flow design approaches, construct-by-self flow design (CBS-FD) and construct-on-scaffold flow design (COS-FD), were proposed to determine which approach better enhances students’ CT skills. Seventy-six first-year undergraduates participated, including thirty in the CBS group and thirty-six in the COS group. Evaluations made from the results and processes of programming tasks were employed to describe computational performance and computational practices, respectively. Data gathered from CT skill surveys were thoroughly analyzed to gain a deeper understanding of computational perspectives. Our findings highlighted that COS-FD significantly improved participants' computational performance compared with CBS-FD. The COS groups fostered an engaging, sharing atmosphere, while CBS groups spent more energy on negotiating the manipulation of flow design. Moreover, both COS-FD and CBS-FD proved beneficial in enhancing participants' computational perspectives, with the COS groups better improving their algorithm thinking. The study presents valuable perspectives on the design and implementation of collaborative programming activities within curriculum education.