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An exploration of three-dimensional integrated assessment for computational thinking
Citation
Zhong, B., Wang, Q., Chen, J., & Li, Y. (2016). An exploration of three-dimensional integrated assessment for computational thinking. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 53(4), 562–590. https://doi.org/10.1177/0735633115608444
Abstract
Computational thinking (CT) is a fundamental skill for students, and assessment is a critical factor CT in education. However, there is a lack of effective approaches to CT assessment. Therefore, we designed the Three-Dimensional Integrated Assessment (TDIA) framework in this paper. The TDIA has two aims: one was to integrate three dimensions (directionality, openness, and process) into the design of effective assessment tasks; and the other was to assess comprehensively the three dimensions of CT including computational concepts, practices, and perspectives. Guided by the TDIA framework, we designed three pairs of tasks: closed forward tasks and closed reverse tasks, semi-open forward tasks and semi-open reverse tasks, and open tasks with a creative design report and open tasks without a creative design report. To further confirm each task’s applicability and its advantages and disadvantages, we conducted a test experiment at the end of the autumn semester in 2014 in a primary school for three weeks. The results indicated: (a) the reverse tasks were not more superior than the forward tasks; (b) the semi-open tasks and the open tasks were more effective than the closed tasks, and the semi-open tasks had higher difficulty and discrimination than the others; (c) the self-reports provided a helpful function for learning diagnosis and guidance; (d) the scores had no significant difference between the schoolboys and the schoolgirls in all six tasks; and (e) the six tasks’ difficulty and discrimination were all acceptable, the semi-open tasks had higher difficulty and discrimination than the others. To effectively apply them, the following suggestions for teachers to design computational tasks are proposed: motivating students’ interest and enthusiasm; incorporating semi-finished artifacts; involving learning diagnosis and guidance; and including multiple types of tasks.
Date Issued
2016
Publisher
Sage
Journal
Journal of Educational Computing Research
DOI
10.1177/0735633115608444
Description
This is the final draft, after peer-review, of a manuscript published in Journal of Educational Computing Research, 53. The published version is available online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0735633115608444