Our study, through the initial modern literature review, investigates the assessment and development of Computational Thinking (CT) in education, and proceeds in the construction and creation of a new CT assessment tool.

Regarding the approaches for the development of CT, the literature review gives us several categories, most of which contain programming and the use of computers (eg game development, educational robotics), but there are also aprroaches without the use of computers (unplugged). Some countries have already moved towards the direction of CT development, CΤ instructional approaches have been development and tools and resources have been created. Our research efforts have resulted in another publication in a scientific volume, regarding the Unplugged Toolbox.

As far as the assessment is concerned, many studies state the lack of CT assessment tools which could be used without the presence of a researcher, a conclusion that has also emerged through our research, which has resulted in two publications (literature reviews) regarding the CT assessment.

Our study works towards the goal of the creation of an innovative CT assessment tool, named DACT (Development and Assessment of Computational Thinking), which covers this gap, at least regarding the Greek educational reality. The CT assessment tool constitutes an important contribution to the greek educational reality and CT, due to the lack of equivalent assessment tools. Therefore, it can be used by future studies, covering this gap and helping in the evolvement of CT development, which can not exist without valid and reliable assessment tools and methods.

The CT assessment tool DACT has the following characteristics:

  • is based on the six main CT dimensions: algorithmic thinking, evaluation, generalization and patterns, abstraction, logic and decomposition
  • uses the original microworld DACT
  • consists of original tasks
  • can be administered autonomously
  • does not depend on a specific programming environment
  • is addressed to a specific age group (11-14 years old)

The CT assessment tool DACT:

  • can be administered on the net (google form format)
  • can be administered on paper format (pdf format for printing)
  • provides an automated correction process (excel sheet)
  • provides an administration protocol