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SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

Front. Comput. Sci.
Sec. Networks and Communications
Volume 6 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fcomp.2024.1480404
This article is part of the Research Topic Leveraging Ubiquitous and Mobile Technologies to Digitalize the Education System View all articles

Computational Thinking in STEM Education: Current State-of-the-Art and Future Research Directions

Provisionally accepted
Rasikh Tariq Rasikh Tariq 1*Bertha Maria Aponte Babines Bertha Maria Aponte Babines 1Jesus Ramirez Jesus Ramirez 2Inés Alvarez-Icaza Longoria Inés Alvarez-Icaza Longoria 1Fawad Naseer Fawad Naseer 3
  • 1 Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM), Monterrey, Mexico
  • 2 Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosi, Mexico
  • 3 Beaconhouse International College, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The knowledge society exists mainly due to advancing technology and the exponential development of professionals' capabilities. Digital transformation and new technologies generate complex environments demanding high-level skills. This work analyzes the current state of pedagogical approaches with a special focus on project-based learning that develops computational thinking in STEM students. A Systematic Literature Review examined the current state of pedagogical approaches along with project-based learning aimed at enhancing computational thinking within the context of higher education. Results allowed us to infer that (a) computational thinking promotes sustainable development through STEM education and novel teaching practices; (b) it is a fundamental skill for the problem-solving processes that evolve with technological progress; (c) its development is a global concern, not limited to a country's development level; and (d) its introduction at an early stage provides opportunities for the advancement of vulnerable groups. Outlining, this study conducts a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) using PRISMA 2020 guidelines to analyze pedagogical approaches including project-based learning for enhancing computational thinking in STEM higher education, identifying global research trends, common strategies, and areas for improvement, while proposing a framework to align computational thinking skills with emerging technological challenges and promote sustainable educational practices. This study presents relevant results on the construction of state-of-the-art computational thinking and education; it is valuable for curricular design underpinning disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches.

    Keywords: complex thinking, stem education, Educational innovation, higher education, Computational thinking

    Received: 13 Aug 2024; Accepted: 23 Dec 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Tariq, Aponte Babines, Ramirez, Alvarez-Icaza Longoria and Naseer. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Rasikh Tariq, Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM), Monterrey, Mexico

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.