Method

In order to test our research hypotheses, the relevant modern research literature is utilized and research is conducted in specific school units of secondary education. The sampling method that we follow is convenience sampling. The study consists of two parts:

• the creation of a CT assessment tool and its validation, and
• the investigation of CT development using educational activities

CT assessment tool

In order to create the assessment tool, we produced a supply of assessment tasks, which a considerable number of students, as the relevant literature suggests, are going to answer.

In this way, after the appropriate statistic data processing, the tasks are grouped together and some of them are rejected, in order to finally end up with an objective CT assessment tool.

Educational activities

The research for the development of CT follows a blended approach, namely uses quantative approaches (questionnaires) as well as qualitative ones (semi-structured interviews with the students involved), but also uses record keeping and observation methods during the teaching interventions. The research (experimental) design includes student groups for the study of CT development activities with and without using computers (unplugged), and aims at a population of first year high school students (11-12 years old), setting as the ultimate goal the comparison of groups and their results.

In all of the prementioned stages we take into consideration several parameters, such as the similarity of groups, which consists of the parameter of randomness in choosing the participants, the ensuring of the same characteristics (age, school grades, school performance, the exposition to external factors that affect students’ performance, the teachers of each class, school environment etc.), as well as the inadequacy to avoid external influence (family, teachers, extracurricular activities, etc.). In educational research it is extremely difficult to repeat the same experiment twice, as the subjects (students) are constantly evolving and changing.

Our approach includes diagnostic assessment, subsequently students are involved in CT development activities with and without the use of computers (unplugged), where simultaneously formative assessment is conducted, in order to be able to follow their learning process and the accomplishment of the cognitive goals. Finally, summative assessment as well as statistical processing of the data will take place, followed by listing the results and logical connections of the results with the relevant bibliography will be attempted, trying in this way to end up with our conclusions.

During the formative assessment we use structures field observation, with the use of written notes and observation journal records in order to study the CT evolvement and to keep a record of the groups’ operation and the strategy approaches that are implemented in order to accomplish the learning goals of these interventions.  

For the diagnostic and summative CT assessment we are going to use the tool which will be produced during the first part of the study, but additionally we examine the relevant literature in order to trace studies and tools worldwide, aiming at the psychometric assessment of students’ CT before and after the appliance of the teaching interventions.

Respectively, we prepare semi-structured interviews with the students, following relevant bibliography. The same applies to the design and creation of field observation sheets during the teaching interventions’ process and the formative assessment.

The questionnaires and the semi-structured interviews will be applied initially in pilot projects with a small number of students in order to trace problems, such as the text and language comprehension from the students, the time needed for the conduction, etc. in order to improve them.   

The basic research method consists of:

• diagnostic assessment of the CT level of the students, using the assessment methods that emerge from our literature research (eg the CT assessment tool),
• formative assessment. All interventions include field observation in order to help in the assessment and in specific stages we conduct additional CT assessment methods (eg questionaire), as designed, in order to keep records of the students’ learning development due to the use of these activities,
• summative assessment. In the summative assessment we once again apply the designed CT assessment method (eg CT assessment tool) and we use the whole research material which has been gathered throughout the study, the filled-in worksheets and the field observation records. Finally, semi-structured interviews are conducted with the students and, if deemed appropriate, the students themselves are going to self-evaluate their progress and the accomplishment of the goal of developing their CT concepts.