Impact of the use of Scratch and PSeInt on the development of algorithmic thinking in university students

Abstract

Algorithmic thinking represents a fundamental pillar of computational thinking and plays a key role in the initial training of university students, even in fields not directly related to computer science. This research aimed to compare the effect of using Scratch and PSeInt on the development of algorithmic thinking in first-year university students majoring in Chemistry. The research employed a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-test measurements, using the Marcos Román-González Computational Thinking Test as the assessment instrument. The intervention took place during the second unit of the basic computer science course entitled "Fundamentals of Algorithms," where one group of students worked with Scratch and another group with PSeInt. The results showed that both groups demonstrated improvements in their scores for the algorithmic thinking pillar; however, the group using Scratch showed a statistically significant improvement. No statistically significant differences were found when directly comparing the changes between the two groups. These findings suggest that Scratch promotes the development of algorithmic thinking in initial training situations, although the magnitude of the improvement does not differ significantly from PSeInt.