Effects of the Fundamental Concepts of Computational Thinking on Students’ Anxiety and Motivation toward K-12 English Writing

Abstract

Computational thinking (CT) skills are now a key part of everyday life and work, and CT has been incorporated into K-12 curricula worldwide. Combining the fundamental concepts of CT with English writing constitutes an innovative and sustainable learning strategy. However, few academic studies have examined the incorporation of CT into English writing. English writing frequently generates excessive stress and anxiety among students, yet motivation can mitigate the negative effect of anxiety. This study investigated the effects of the fundamental concepts of CT on reducing writing anxiety and increasing motivation toward English writing. A quasi-experimental design was applied, and data were collected from experimental and control groups through writing anxiety and motivation questionnaires. The results indicated that the fundamental concepts of CT exerted a more significant influence on the dimensions of writing anxiety and motivation than did a conventional learning method. In conclusion, the fundamental concepts of CT promoted organized and structured English writing, increased students’ writing motivation, and reduced their writing anxiety.

Situational judgment test measures administrator computational thinking with factor analysis

“…Therefore, improving these skills is of high urgency, as relying on technology without mastering its underlying skills may be insufficient [13]. The initial step before implementing any action is to evaluate the level of CTS; hence, a test instrument is needed to assess the level of CTS [34], [35].…”

The Impact of a Computing Curriculum Accessible to Students with ASD on the Development of Computing Artifacts

“…Furthermore, significant correlations between computational thinking and critical thinking, as well as pre-service teachers' modeling skills, were reported in [12,13], where it was found that the fundamental concepts of CT promoted, organized, and structured English writing; increased students' writing motivation; and reduced their writing anxiety. Ref.…”

“…Similarly, the authors of [16] provided a framework for social studies teachers regarding the integration of CT into K-12 classrooms. Another study explored the incorporation of CT into English writing instruction [13]. In addition, in [20], the authors designed and implemented computational thinking activities for mathematics students.…”