Assessing middle school students’ computational thinking through mathematical modeling

An action research study

Bibliographic Data

ID21348599
AuthorsBahadır Yıldız (0000-0003-4816-3071, Hacettepe University, corresponding author), Fatma Nur Poyraz (0009-0000-1913-391X, Hacettepe University)
Year2026
Pages1-12
Publication date2026-02-17
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Journal of Educational Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-0671 • E-ISSN: 1940-0675
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00220671.2026.2622325
OpenAlexW7129346587
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited26

This study investigates how middle school students enact computational thinking (CT) through mathematical modeling tasks in regular instruction. Conducted as practitioner-led action research over 4 weeks with 28 seventh-grade students in a Turkish public school, we collected student artifacts, classroom observations, and short interviews. A qualitative content analysis combined deductive codes for five CT dimensions with inductive categories; triangulation and high inter-rater agreement supported trustworthiness. Three patterns emerged: CT as iterative construction across representation, testing, and revision; CT through real-world anchoring that blends data handling with algorithmic strategies; and emergent CT in collaborative spaces where reasoning is externalized. Modeling-based tasks made students’ CT visible without computers and enabled rubric-guided assessment during instruction. We discuss implications for teachers and schools seeking low-tech CT integration and outline directions for future research

Action (physics) · Action research · Computational model · Computational Thinking · Mathematical logic · Mathematics Education and Pedagogy · Mathematics Education and Teaching Techniques · Teaching and Learning Programming

Tools

Open DOI