Effect of Learning Computational Thinking Using Board Games in Different Learning Styles on Programming Learning

Abstract

The popularization of the internet and the rapid development of intelligent technologies have inspired new directions in education policies. In the curriculum guidelines, the technological education field had included exploration, creative thinking, logic, computational thinking, and problem-solving skills. The study utilized board games, Kolb learning styles scale, and computational thinking test as experimental tools. Incorporating easy board games into teaching programming skills such as “loop” and “conditionals”, the study aimed to explore the effects of board game-based learning methods have on students of different learning styles learning computational thinking. The study will discuss Kolb Learning style scales and examine learners’ styles, dividing them into diverger, assimilator, converger, and accommodator while conducting test and quantitative analysis after the experiment. The study concludes the following findings: (1) The use of board games in teaching has a significant effect on the learning units of “loops” and “condition” in the learning of computational thinking, indicating that the use of board game for learning the concepts of “loops” and “condition” in programming can enhance computational thinking. (2) Students of different learning styles did not have a significant effect in learning the units of “loop” and “condition” concepts regarding computational thinking. However, students of the assimilator type have greater learning efficiency than other types.