Gamified flipped classroom: application of a didactic strategy to work on computational thinking in future teachers

Abstract

This study analyzes the impact of gamification and flipped learning on the development of computational thinking in students of the Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education. To this end, the gamified flipped classroom strategy was evaluated. The sample included a total of 86 students. The experimental group composed of 36 students have received a didactic intervention based on the gamified flipped classroom and completed both the pre-test and the post-test. The control group, composed of 50 students, followed a traditional methodology for six weeks, and also completed the pre-test as well as the post-test, allowing a comparison of the effects of both methodologies. To assess the improvement of computational thinking in students, the Computational Thinking Test (CPT) was used. This instrument was administered both before and after the implementation of the didactic strategy, acting as a pre-test and post-test, respectively. Statistical analyses of the collected data indicated an increase in computational thinking scores in the experimental group. This finding suggests that the combination of the flipped classroom methodology with gamification elements can be effective in improving computational thinking in university students of the degree of early childhood education teacher. Therefore, the study provides evidence that the implementation of innovative pedagogical strategies, such as the gamified flipped classroom, can have a significant impact on the development of computational thinking in higher education students. However, more research is needed to confirm and expand these results in different contexts and with larger samples.