Speaker
Description
As computational thinking (CT) gains increasing emphasis in contemporary curricula worldwide, understanding how it is interpreted and enacted by primary teachers is essential for meaningful classroom integration. This study investigates Finnish primary school teachers’ perceptions of CT, their self-efficacy regarding CT integration, and their reported classroom practices. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 32 teachers, incorporating Likert-scale items and open-ended questions on teachers’ understandings of CT, instructional practices, and perceived opportunities and challenges related to CT integration. Findings indicate that while teachers generally recognise the importance of CT in fostering problem-solving and critical thinking, their conceptualisations of CT remain varied and classroom implementation is limited. Key challenges include insufficient training, low confidence, and unclear curricular guidance. Notably, some teachers reported integrating CT into language lessons through structured tasks and communicative activities, suggesting potential connections between CT and language pedagogy. These findings highlight the need for sustained professional development and clearer instructional support to facilitate effective integration of CT across primary education contexts.
Biography
Tạ Thảo Nguyên is currently a junior lecturer at the Faculty of Foreign Language Teacher Education, University of Foreign Languages Studies, the University of Da Nang (UFLS-UD). Her research focuses on curriculum design and teacher competencies, particularly in relation to the 21st-century competencies and computational thinking in education, looking into competencies that students need to navigate in the modern world of technology. She is interested in how teachers interpret, adapt, and implement emerging curricular innovations within classroom practice, with an emphasis on their beliefs, self-efficacy, and professional learning needs. In addition, she is exploring CLIL education in Vietnam and its implications for effective and sustainable implementation practices in the local education context.
| Affiliate type | University |
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