Abstract:

Efforts to advance computer science education at the federal, state, and corporate levels advocate a focus on computational thinking (CT). This emphasis on CT has resulted in a vast amount of literature devoted to the discussion or study of its concepts. This paper presents a study that employs the Cochrane Collaboration Guidelines to systematically aggregate, scrutinize, and analyze the body of literature around this emerging concept. Preliminary findings suggest the need for further development of the concept of computational thinking and the need for increased rigor in the research methods and reporting standards. The findings are intended to be used to computer science educators, policymakers, and researchers as they make decisions that could influence practice, policy, and future research directions.