Teaching Computational Thinking in Indonesia: Trend in Conception, Methods, Technology, and Evaluation

Background/purpose. Computational Thinking (CT) has gained widespread attention in education as a core cognitive skill essential for solving complex problems in both academic and real-world contexts. While Indonesian educators have actively adopted CT as part of national educational reforms, questions remain about how closely current practices align with the original theoretical underpinnings of CT.

Materials/methods. This study conducted a systematic literature review of Scopus-indexed research articles focusing on CT in Indonesian education. Using PRISMA guidelines, 35 eligible articles were selected from an initial pool of 130. The analysis combined bibliographic mapping using VOSviewer and thematic analysis to explore trends related to CT conception, teaching methods, technologies used, and assessment practices.

Results. The findings reveal that Indonesian researchers conceptualize CT in various ways—as a problem-solving skill, a digital literacy component, and a pedagogical approach linked to subjects such as mathematics, physics, and language. Nine pedagogical strategies were identified, with problem-based learning and hybrid models being the most prominent. Although educational technologies, such as Ed-Tech apps and robotics, are increasingly used to support CT, nearly half of the studies reviewed did not incorporate digital tools. Assessments primarily rely on self-reporting and mathematical problem-solving tasks, with limited evidence of comprehensive evaluation frameworks for CT skills.

Conclusion. Despite growing interest and diverse applications of CT in Indonesia, inconsistencies in conceptual understanding and a lack of standardized evaluation methods highlight the need for more straightforward guidelines and stronger collaboration across stakeholders. This study contributes a national overview and suggests pathways for improving CT integration in Indonesian education.

Keywords: Computational thinking, conception, evaluation, methodology, technology.

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