Applying Agile Software Engineering to Develop Computational Thinking in Children

Abstract

The Computational Thinking (CT) mindset can support basic education by providing tools and strategies for students to solve problems in many subjects. In this context, system design is an important CT practice because it allows students to automate their solutions. This paper proposes a conceptual framework based on Agile Software Engineering practices to teach students digital game development and consequently improve CT skills. The maker culture was also taken into account in the proposed approach. The framework was applied to middle school students. Data were collected and analyzed by Rubric guided interviews and project evaluation. The results pointed out that the approach can be able to actively engage students in different aspects of software development.