INTEGRATION OF SCRATCH-BASED CODING LEARNING IN IMPROVING COMPUTATIONAL THINKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

The development of digital technology in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution demands that the world of education not only focus on mastery of material but also on the development of higher-order thinking skills relevant to the needs of the 21st century. Computational thinking, or the ability to think systematically about problems using a computational approach, is one of the skills that has gotten a lot of attention around the world. This study aims to empirically analyze the impact of Scratch-based coding learning on the improvement of computational thinking and problem-solving skills among high school students. The research uses a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design that includes a pretest and a control group. The research sample consisted of 60 eighth-grade students divided into an experimental class and a control class. Data analysis was conducted through validity tests, reliability tests, Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality tests, Levene's homogeneity tests, N-Gain calculations, independent t-tests, and effect size (Cohen’s d). The research results show that the experimental class experienced a significant increase with an N-Gain value of 0.71 (high category), while the control class had an N-Gain value of 0.23 (low category). The t-test showed a t_calculated value of 6.54, greater than the t_table value of 2.00 at a significance level of 0.05. An effect size of 1.68 indicates a substantial practical effect. These findings confirm that Scratch-based coding instruction is effective in enhancing students' computational thinking quality and problem-solving abilities.