Didactic knowledge in mathematics in the integration of computational thinking: Evidence in exploratory teaching practices of pre-service primary school teacher.

Abstract

Computational thinking is a cognitive skill widely recognized as essential for problem-solving. Exploratory teaching practices constitute an appropriate methodology for this development, as they promote active learning through the resolution of challenging tasks. This qualitative and interpretative study analyzed the aspects of didactic knowledge in mathematics mobilized by three groups of pre-service primary school teachers in the implementation of exploratory teaching practices that integrated the development of computational thinking, as well as the challenges they faced in this process. The results show that the pre-service teachers demonstrated the knowledge necessary to integrate computational thinking into their teaching practice, with the teaching practice knowledge component standing out, particularly in pedagogical decisions such as requesting clarification and encouraging students during the implementation of tasks that mobilized dimensions of computational thinking. Regarding the main difficulties experienced by the pre-service teachers, the results indicate that these were related to classroom management, particularly time management and the management of whole-class discussions. The study offers relevant insights into the design of teacher education programs and for future research on the integration of computational thinking into mathematics teaching.