What Emotions do Pre-university Students Feel when Engaged in Computational Thinking Activities?

Abstract

Emotions play a crucial role in knowledge acquisition and can significantly impact motivation when studying a new field. Unfortunately, young people, especially girls, are often not drawn to Computer Science. To address this issue, we conducted an analysis of emotions among 8-9-year-old and 12-13-year-old students engaged in Computational Thinking activities, considering educational level, gender, and type of intervention. Our study sought to understand the lack of interest by examining the emotions present in primary and secondary school students. Hour-long in-person classes were conducted, focusing on Computational Thinking activities. We used the Developmental Channels Questionnaire, which includes 13 emotions rated on a Likert scale from 0 to 10, to measure emotions. The results showed that the predominant emotions were mostly positive and ambiguous, with low-intensity negative emotions, particularly in primary education. Gender differences were observed only in secondary education, while in primary education, the differences were not significant. Girls demonstrated an emotional evolution when engaging in these activities, unlike boys. These findings provide valuable quantitative insights for primary and secondary school teachers. Understanding the emotions experienced can help guide effective teaching approaches. By addressing emotional factors, educators can enhance students' interest in computer science, thus fostering a more inclusive and engaging learning environment.