Video games and the development of computational thinking

Čujdíková, Mária (author), Kalaš, Ivan (author)

For many, video games represent a popular form of entertainment. However, numerous research studies confirm that playing video games is a complex process with a significant educational component in addition to entertainment. Several researchers, including Papert and other authorities, have argued that we can learn a great deal about the learning process through video games, either by playing them ourselves or by observing others play and discussing the processes and thinking strategies involved. The present paper aims to explore the potential of commercial off-the-shelf video games, particularly with regard to developing computational thinking. Five games representing different genres were analysed using standard content analysis. The analysis was based partly on the researchers’ own gameplay, but primarily on observing and interviewing other participants during their gameplay. Four experienced video game players, all adults aged between 26 and 32, were invited to join the study as part of a purposefully formed sample. They were observed while playing and engaged in conversations about their practices and thought processes. The goal was to identify cognitive processes perceived as intrinsically related to computational thinking. The findings support claims made by Papert and Gee, demonstrating that video games can significantly enhance our understanding of computational thinking itself. Based on the analysis, it was concluded that video games offer rich opportunities for the development of certain components of computational thinking, particularly algorithmic thinking, decomposition and evaluation, as well as generalisation and abstraction. The findings are primarily relevant to adult learners, but ideas for school-age students are also discussed. While considering these ideas, we noted another phenomenon that intriguingly aligns with our other area ofresearch, that is, the development of structural thinking within school informatics*. *In some countries, informatics is referred to as computer science or computing; however, in Slovakia, it is called informatics and is a mandatory school subject from Year 3 to Year 11, which includes all learners aged between 8 and 17.

• Language: English
• Keywords: content analysis, development of computational thinking, informatics education, qualitative research, video games
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: PEF - Faculty of Education
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 111-136
• Numbering: Vol. 15, no. 4
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-179555
• UDC: 004
• ISSN on article: 2232-2647
• COBISS.SI-ID: 264315139

Copyright

Podatek o licenci CC-BY 4.0 je naveden na spletni strani revije (https://ojs.cepsj.si/index.php/cepsj/about). (Datum opombe 17. 2. 2026)

• Publication date in RUL: 17.02.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: CEPS Journal: Center for Educational Policy Studies Journal = revija Centra za študij edukacijskih strategij
• Publisher: Pedagoška fakulteta, Univerza v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 2232-2647
• COBISS.SI-ID: 254029824

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Videoigre in razvoj računalniškega mišljenja

Abstract

Za veliko posameznikov so videoigre priljubljena oblika zabave, številne raziskave pa potrjujejo, da je igranje videoiger zapleten proces, ki poleg zabave vključuje tudi pomemben izobraževalni vidik. Številni raziskovalci, med njimi Papert in drugi strokovnjaki, trdijo, da se lahko prek videoiger veliko naučimo o procesu učenja, in sicer tako, da jih igramo sami ali z opazovanjem drugih pri igranju ter razpravo o procesih in miselnih strategijah, ki so vključeni v igranje. Namen tega članka je raziskati potencial komercialnih videoiger, ki so prostodostopne na trgu, zlasti v povezavi z razvojem računalniškega mišljenja. Analizirali smo pet iger različnih žanrov z uporabo standardne vsebinske analize. Ta je deloma temeljila na lastnem igranju raziskovalcev, predvsem pa na opazovanju in intervjuvanju drugih udeležencev med njihovim igranjem. Štirje izkušeni igralci videoiger, vsi odrasli, stari od 26 do 32 let, so bili povabljeni k sodelovanju v študiji kot namenski vzorec. Opazovali smo jih med igranjem ter se z njimi pogovarjali o njihovih praksah in miselnih procesih. Cilj je bil identificirati kognitivne procese, ki so videti neločljivo povezani z računalniškim mišljenjem. Ugotovitve podpirajo trditve Paperta in Geeja, saj kažejo, da lahko videoigre pomembno prispevajo k razumevanju računalniškega mišljenja. Na podlagi analize smo ugotovili, da videoigre ponujajo bogate možnosti za razvoj nekaterih komponent računalniškega mišljenja, zlasti algoritmičnega mišljenja, razčlenjevanja in vrednotenja ter posploševanja in abstrakcije. Ugotovitve so relevantne predvsem za odrasle učence, vendar v raziskavi obravnavamo tudi ideje za učence, ki še hodijo v šolo. Pri obravnavanju teh idej smo opazili še en pojav, ki se zanimivo ujema z našim drugim področjem raziskovanja, tj. razvojem strukturne miselnosti v okviru šolske informatike*. *V nekaterih državah se za označevanje šolskega predmeta informatika uporablja izraz računalništvo ali računalniška znanost, na Slovaškem pa ga imenujemo informatika in je obvezen predmet od 3. razreda osnovne šole do 3. letnika srednje šole, kar torej vključuje vse učence, stare od približno 8 do 17 let.

• Keywords: vsebinska analiza, razvoj računalniškega mišljenja, izobraževanje na področju informatike, kvalitativna raziskava, videoigre, računalništvo

Projects

• Funder: VEGA
• Project number: 1/0407/25
• Name: Structural Thinking and its Development in Primary School
• Acronym: STRIPS