Evaluating algorithmic thinking ability of primary schoolchildren who learn computer programming

In this research, a tool for evaluating algorithmic thinking ability of the primary schoolchildren was developed. This tool is based on the three categories of operations used to construct algorithms, namely, sequential operations, conditional branching operations, and iterative operations. Each question in the tool checks to see if the examinee understands the concept of one of the three categories. The tool was developed to evaluate the educational effect of programming education for middle to upper grade (third to sixth grade) primary schoolchildren. Since both Visual Programming Language (VPL) and Textual Programming Language (TPL) could be used, it was required that the tool could be used by both the group of children who use VPLs and the group of children who use TPLs. To make it possible, no programming language appeared in the questions in the tool. The teaching materials for the programming education were also developed in such a way that the three basic concepts of algorithm, namely, sequential processing, conditional branching, and repetitive processing, were clearly taught. The target VPL in this research was Scratch. The evaluation tool was conducted in a weekend class of programming education for primary schoolchildren, and the algorithmic thinking ability of the schoolchildren was analyzed.