Entre atividades desplugadas e resolução de problemas: mobilização e emergência de habilidades para o desenvolvimento do pensamento computacional nos anos iniciais

Abstract

In a society that increasingly demands skills in interpretation, complex problem solving, and the intuitive use of emerging technologies, it seems essential that alternative methodologies be explored in the classroom – approaches that do not necessarily rely on the physical use of technological devices – to foster and develop abilities associated with such use. This research aims to promote the development of skills related to Computational Thinking (CT) – and to teach about them – namely Decomposition, Pattern Recognition, Abstraction, and Algorithms, through unplugged activities and by employing the Teaching-Learning-Assessment Methodology of Mathematics through Problem Solving (MEAAMaRP) with fourth-grade students in Elementary Education. More specifically, it seeks to investigate how Problem Solving, within the context of unplugged activities, can contribute to the development and learning of these skills, supporting the mobilization of Computational Thinking among fourth grade students in the early years of Elementary Education. Furthermore, it aims to understand how these abilities, essential for constructing Computational Thinking, emerge during the implementation of a systematic work process experienced by children at this educational stage. A qualitative approach was adopted to guide the design, development, and analysis of students’ problem-solving processes. The central research question guiding this study is: How can Problem Solving contribute to the development and teaching of the skills of Decomposition, Pattern Recognition, Abstraction, and Algorithms, fostering Computational Thinking through unplugged activities in the early years of Elementary Education? The methodological foundation of this research is based on the MEAAMaRP, proposed by Allevato and Onuchic (2021). The study was conducted with 32 students from two fourth-grade classes in public schools in the municipality of Arapongas, Paraná, aged between 9 and 10 years. Data production and collection involved twelve problems: six selected from textbooks, three from the BEBRAS – Castor Informático platform, and three developed by the researcher herself, in addition to audio recordings of students’ problem-solving discussions and questionnaires completed by them. The results suggest that the MEAAMaRP methodology contributed as a pedagogical strategy both to the learning of the mathematical and computational concepts discussed and to the development of Computational Thinking skills among early-years students. It was observed that Decomposition enabled the segmentation of complex problems, Pattern Recognition supported the identification of regularities, Abstraction facilitated the generalization of concepts, and the use of Algorithms enabled the construction of solutions. Moreover, the implementation of unplugged activities proved effective in fostering engagement, creativity, and collaboration among students, contributing to the internalization of CT concepts.