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Teaching Computational Thinking Skills Through Scratch in K‐12 Education: A Systematic Review.

Background: Computational thinking (CT) is increasingly critical in K‐12 education for fostering essential digital‐age problem‐solving abilities. Scratch, a widely adopted block‐based programming environment, has emerged as a promising platform for developing CT skills, yet a clear synthesis of inst...

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Published in:Journal of Computer Assisted Learning Vol. 42; no. 2; pp. 1 - 19
Main Authors: Sun, Jiwei, Wang, Ruobing, Wei, Bing
Format: research systematic review tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Wiley-Blackwell Apr2026
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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        02664909
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      jtl: Journal of Computer Assisted Learning
      issn: 02664909
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      dt: Apr2026
      vid: 42
      iid: 2
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      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
      place: Malden, Massachusetts
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        192476936
        192476936
        192476936
        10.1002/jcal.70230
        192476936
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        atl: Teaching Computational Thinking Skills Through Scratch in K‐12 Education: A Systematic Review.
      aug:
        au:
          Sun, Jiwei
          Wang, Ruobing
          Wei, Bing
        affil: Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Macau, China
      sug:
        subj:
          Schools, Elementary
          Schools, Middle
          Schools, Secondary
          Problem Solving Education
          Teaching Methods Evaluation
          Computer-Assisted Instruction
          Software Design
          Skill Acquisition
          Human
          Funding Source
          Systematic Review
          Thematic Analysis
          Science Education
          Mathematics Education
          Age Factors
          Sex Factors
          Problem-Based Learning
      ab: Background: Computational thinking (CT) is increasingly critical in K‐12 education for fostering essential digital‐age problem‐solving abilities. Scratch, a widely adopted block‐based programming environment, has emerged as a promising platform for developing CT skills, yet a clear synthesis of instructional use remains limited. Objectives: This paper presents a systematic literature review on instructional methods for teaching CT skills through Scratch in K‐12 settings. The review aims to: (1) identify the contexts and subject domains in which Scratch is used to teach CT; (2) explore the instructional strategies employed to integrate CT teaching through Scratch; (3) examine factors that influence CT learning outcomes; and (4) investigate challenges in implementing Scratch‐based CT instruction. Method: Following PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search strategy was used to identify relevant literature, resulting in 46 included empirical studies. Studies were thematically coded and analysed to synthesise key findings. Results and Conclusions: Scratch‐based CT instruction is common in primary and middle school settings. Most studies position Scratch as a standalone tool for CT teaching, followed by integration with science, mathematics, and STEM, with very few studies in non‐STEM subjects. Three categories of teaching approaches were identified, including task‐oriented, social‐oriented, and technology‐based approaches. Instructional effectiveness is influenced by student age, gender, and task difficulty. Key challenges include the unstructured Scratch interface, difficulties in teaching abstract CT concepts, and reliance on trial‐and‐error methods. The review highlights the need for scaffolded, developmentally appropriate teaching approaches and suggests expanding CT education into non‐STEM domains and diverse school levels. Lay Summary: What is currently known about this topic? ○Computational thinking (CT) skills are core K‐12 competencies for problem‐solving.○Scratch is widely used in K‐12 settings to teach CT skills through block programming.○Previous studies seldom review instructional approaches and contextual use of Scratch.What does this paper add? ○Synthesises 46 studies to reveal how Scratch is used to teach CT in K‐12 education.○Summarise the main instructional contexts for Scratch‐based CT learning.○Identifies three types of effective strategies: task‐oriented, social‐oriented, and technology‐based teaching approaches.○Highlights key influential factors and teaching challenges in Scratch‐based CT learning.Implications for practise/or policy ○Use scaffolded, age‐appropriate teaching approaches in K‐12 classrooms.○Structure tasks and supports to reduce reliance on trial‐and‐error.○Align task difficulty with student readiness and increase complexity gradually.○More attention is needed for CT teaching beyond STEM and across grades.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        systematic review
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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