The effect of block based coding education on students' creative thinking and problem solving skills

The aim of this research is to evaluate the effect of block based coding education on primary school students' creative thinking and problem solving abilities. The research was conducted in a private primary school in Burdur in 2023-2024 education year. In the research, block based coding education was given to 3rd grade students throughout the term, and at the end of the term, the effect of the education on the students was examined. In the research carried out with the combination of methods, quantitative and qualitative methods were used together. In the research, condition figures and half configured interview forms were used. The results of the research show that block based coding education has a meaningful effect on students. According to the half configured interview forms and to the coding robotics teachers of the sector's observations; it has been found that it has increased the students attention towards the lesson, the lesson has excited the students and has increased the motivation towards school. According to the results of the pre - and post tests of the problem solving inventory (PSI), it has been appointed that there has been a meaningful difference in the students' problem solving abilities. When block based coding education is looked at in gender based effects, it has been seen that in both girls and boys, there have been meaningful differences in their problem solving abilities. When comparing the girl students PSI points before the education and after the education, meaningful and positive development has been spotted. In the same way, similar results have been collected for the boy students.