Study on Computational Thinking as Problem-solving Skill: Comparison Based on Students Mindset in Engineering and Social Science

TL;DR

This study compares computational thinking as a problem-solving skill among engineering and social science students, highlighting differences in their problem-solving mindsets and application in addressing global issues like climate change.

Contribution

It provides insights into how students from different disciplines apply computational thinking to real-world problems, emphasizing discipline-specific problem-solving approaches.

Findings

Engineering students focus on algorithmic precision.

Social science students emphasize contextual understanding.

Both groups demonstrate problem-solving in climate change cases.

Abstract

One of the capabilities which 21st-century skill compulsory a person is critical thinking and problem-solving skill that becomes top positions rank. Focus on problem-solving skills can be taught to a child, especially begun in elementary school refer to prior research focus on K-12. Computational thinking was one problem-solving skill that popular to implemented and studied in the current decade. This study was conducted to explore students' capability to be able solving of the problem based on the possibility use the computational thinking way. Participants in this study came from six international students that study in Taiwan and from two deferent sciences disciplines, engineering, and social science. A qualitative method was used to analyze data interviews, took example cases from the global issue that is Climate Change. The result founded that survive in a new environment was become evidence of their implementation of problem-solving skills. Problem-solving mindset both students of engineering and social science had discrepancy, those are how to use precise structure in the algorithm.