EFFECT OF GAMIFICATION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMPUTATIONAL THINKING IN PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY.

Abstract

The current educational landscape, shaped by rapid technological advancements and the pressing need to prepare competent citizens capable of facing major challenges, demands a shift in traditional pedagogical strategies, which often struggle to maintain student engagement and motivation in an increasingly digital world. It is essential to explore and implement innovative approaches that align with the new ways children learn and interact with knowledge. In this context, and with the goal of unveiling the impact of gamification on the development of computational thinking in primary school students, a qualitative methodology was adopted, focusing primarily on participant observation as the main data collection technique. This approach made it possible to directly and contextually capture classroom dynamics during the application of gamified strategies in one group of students (third and fourth grade), as well as traditional methodologies in another. In addition, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the teachers to support the interpretation of findings from their pedagogical perspective. This comparative study highlights the potential of new tools to transform learning into a more enriching and rewarding experience. The research concludes that approaching computational thinking through gamified strategies not only facilitates the understanding of new concepts but also sparks children's curiosity and receptiveness toward computing from an early age, laying the foundation for future learning in this crucial field.