Investigation of middle school students' computational thinking skills, reflective thinking skills for problem solving and self-efficacy perceptions towards research and inquiry

In this study, it is aimed to examine the levels of computational thinking skills, reflective thinking skills towards problem solving and self-efficacy oriented by research-inquiry belonging to middle school students. The study uses the correlational survey model, one of the quantitative research methods. The study group of this research consists of 439 students (239 girls and 200 boys) who are educated at the grades of 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th in Amasya city. Specifically, there are 79 students in the 5th grade, 120 in the 6th grade, 121 in the 7th grade, and 119 in the 8th grade. The levels of computer thinking skills scale, the scale of self-efficacy oriented by research-inquiry and the scale of reflective thinking skills towards problem solving were used as data collection tools in the research. The scales were delivered to the students via google form and therefore the data collection process was completed. The data obtained in the study were analysed using descriptive statistics, t test, anova, correlation and regression analysis. Based on the findings obtained as a result of the analysis, it is concluded that middle school students generally have high levels of computational thinking skills, self-efficacy oriented by research-inquiry, and reflective thinking skills towards problem solving. When the results are considered in terms of gender factor, there is a difference in favour of female students in their students' reflective thinking skills towards problem solving and self-efficacy oriented by research-inquiry, but there is no significant difference in their computational thinking skills. When the results are analysed in accordance to grade levels, there is a significant difference in students' computational thinking skills and self-efficacy oriented by research-inquiry, while there is no difference in reflective thinking skills towards problem solving. Moreover, it is concluded that there is a significant positive relationship between students' computational thinking skills, reflective thinking skills towards problem solving and self-efficacy oriented by research-inquiry. Moreover it was found that students' reflective thinking skills for problem solving and self-efficacy oriented by research-inquiry predicted their computational thinking skills. Then, it was concluded that computational thinking skills and self-efficacy oriented by research-inquiry predicted their reflective thinking skills towards problem solving. Finally, it was concluded that computational thinking skills and reflective thinking skills towards problem solving predict self-efficacy oriented by research-inquiry.