Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of Educational Research, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
This study investigates how middle school students enact computational thinking (CT) through mathematical modeling tasks in regular instruction. Conducted as practitioner-led action research over 4 weeks with 28 seventh-grade students in a Turkish public school, we collected student artifacts, classroom observations, and short interviews. A qualitative content analysis combined deductive codes for five CT dimensions with inductive categories; triangulation and high inter-rater agreement supported trustworthiness. Three patterns emerged: CT as iterative construction across representation, testing, and revision; CT through real-world anchoring that blends data handling with algorithmic strategies; and emergent CT in collaborative spaces where reasoning is externalized. Modeling-based tasks made students’ CT visible without computers and enabled rubric-guided assessment during instruction. We discuss implications for teachers and schools seeking low-tech CT integration and outline directions for future research.