A Model for Computational Thinking Development in GeoGebra with the Support of ChatGPT

Abstract

Computational thinking (CT) has been perceived as an essential skill for everyone. Several countries and institutions have attempted to concretize CT in the schools’ curricula. This paper presents the integration of CT into mathematics (Math + CT) lessons utilizing specific mathematics software, GeoGebra. Through the educational design research (EDR), we innovated our Math + CT lessons by integrating ChatGPT to generate GeoGebra commands. Five adults and 16 junior high school students participated in this study. We collected the data from participants’ ChatGPT prompts and screen video recordings. The data were mainly analyzed through a content analysis method. The findings revealed that ChatGPT has limitations in generating GeoGebra commands but provided opportunities to develop students’ CT skills. We also propose a model to inform educators and researchers about ChatGPT’s strengths and weaknesses in supporting students’ CT skills in GeoGebra, and to guide curriculum developers on integrating AI literacy and CT into mathematics curricula.