A Meta-Analysis of the Utilization of Computer Technology in Enhancing Computational Thinking Skills: Direction for Mathematics Learning

Abstract

The aim of this research is to summarize and observe how interventions affect students’ computational thinking (CT) skills through computer technology. Some common factors predicted to cause students’ heterogeneous CT skills would also be examined. A meta-analysis was chosen to conduct this study. Finding and selecting the relevant literature resulted in 43 documents published in the period of 2011 – 2021 which involved 5.088 samples. The formula of Hedges’ g was used to measure the effect size. The Z test and the Q Cochrane test were also used to analyze the data. The results of this study revealed that the interventions involving computer technology on students’ CT skills had modest positive effect in which computer technology interventions significantly enhanced students’ CT skills. It indicates that the learning process utilizing computer technology is effective to enhance students’ CT skills. Furthermore, educational level, geographical location, group size of intervention, learning tool, and subject did not moderate students’ heterogeneous CT skills. It means that the level of students’ CT skills intervened by using computer technology is not affected by the factors. To improve students’ CT skills, this study suggests teachers to utilize computer technology into their mathematics teaching-learning process. Specifically, this study suggests teachers to utilize computer technology in implementing mathematics learning process.