Integrating Computational Thinking into Natural and Social Science Learning in Elementary Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26740/jrpd.v12n1.p59-68Keywords:
Computational Thinking, problem-solving skills, elementary education, natural and social science learning, unplugged activitiesAbstract
Computational thinking (CT) has been proposed as a way to strengthen problem solving in school curricula, yet evidence on its integration into integrated natural and social science learning in elementary education remains dispersed, and this study aims to examine how CT has been conceptualized and integrated, what evidence exists on its association with problem-solving skills, which implementation strategies have been reported, and which challenges and opportunities have been identified. A narrative literature review was conducted on 23 peer-reviewed articles from Scopus-indexed journals published between 2006 and 2024, covering conceptual papers, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and empirical studies. The results show that CT is commonly framed as a set of problem-solving practices embedded in science and mathematics contexts, that meta-analytic evidence reports moderate to large effects on CT and related cognitive outcomes with variation across educational levels, strategies, and measures, and that direct evidence on problem solving in elementary natural and social science learning remains limited, with social science represented in only 2 of 49 studies in one review. Unplugged, plugged, and combined strategies have been reported alongside recurring challenges in teacher readiness, assessment for young learners, and resources, which suggests that CT integration is a promising approach that requires further testing with explicit measures of problem solving.
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