Bridging K–12 Mathematics and Computational Thinking in the Scratch Community: Implications Drawn From a Creative Learning Context
Zerong Xie, Gary K. W. Wong, Dickson K.W. Chiu, Junru Lei
Abstract
This study analyzes 15,453 math topic-based Scratch projects of the online Scratch community to find the relations among K–12 math topics, usage of 13 programming elements, and project popularity. Among the six math topics, only statistics and calculus significantly contribute to projecting popularity. In addition, noncore programming elements, including sound and look, are widely adapted across various math topics and contribute significantly to project popularity. Although some studies discussed the integration of computation thinking (CT) and math in the classrooms, scant research focuses on the effect of math topics on CT element adoption for achieving better integration in the creative learning context. Moreover, few studies involve a large sample size for generalizable findings.