Effects of computer programming studies on academic success, critical thinking skills and programming-based attitudes in problem-based learning environment

Aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of computer programming studies on academic success, critical thinking skills and programming-based attitudes in problem-based learning environment. Quasi-experimental design was used in the study. The research was conducted at Hürriyet Primary School located in Çorum in the spring term of 2012-2013 school year. Fifty-eight students from the seventh grades participated in the research in total. Child programming courses, which were prepared on the web, were enjoyed in order for students to realize their problem-based learning. Thanks to these courses, their academic successes in computer programming courses were defined by means of pre-tests and post-tests which were developed by the researcher, and their critical thinking skills and attitudes towards computer technologies were described by the results from the scales which were used in different studies before. In the study, it was observed that there was a significant difference on behalf of post-test (pre-test average = 5.97 and post-test average = 11.05) according to the t test results [t= 18.48, p<0.05], which were applied by means of pre-test and post-test results. It was also seen that there was a meaningful difference in pre- and post application averages in description of the effects of critical thinking skills in education [t=7.93; p<0.05]. When the averages were regarded, there was a determining difference on behalf of the post-application ( =113,21), which was of higher averages when particularly compared to pre-applications ( =91,38). Then it was found that there was a noteworthy difference between the averages of pre- and post applications [t=14,23; p<0,05] in their attitudes towards computer. The averages inferred that the difference was the one which was on behalf of the post-application ( =162,55), which had higher averages when it was compared to the pre-application ( =106,29). As a result, it was proved that computer programming courses positively affected students' academic successes, critical thinking skills and their attitudes towards computer. In addition, it was identified that there were positive and close relations between academic success, critical thinking skills and the attitudes towards computer.