A framework for the development and improvement of computational thinking for high school learners using a programming language and learner management system

Many educational departments are losing the battle against inefficient mathematics education. The Annual National Assessments (ANA) and World Economic Forum reports tell a story that performance is declining annually among learners in South Africa. The study was conducted among Grade 9 learners at a private high school in the Western Cape to establish a framework for computational thinking. The problem statement reads that it is not clear how high school learners’ computational thinking (CT) may be enhanced or improved at a cognitive level of formal operations. The research question posed is, ‘How can CT be enhanced, among high school learners, using a PL aligned to Action-Process-Object-Schema (APOS) theory?’ The research methodology was based on an interpretivist philosophy. The ontological underpinning of the study is subjective and the epistemological stance accepts opinions of learners through written, spoken and visual attributed meanings. The axiology of the researcher is that of a practising educator in programming, a teaching and learning expert and a certified Java-Alice-Greenfoot instructor through Oracle. The research strategy was based on educational design research as a validation study through interventions. Findings show that CT at a cognitive level of formal operations can be enhanced among learners through Greenfoot PL with APOS theory as lens. The support and recognition of the headmaster or line manager towards those involved in programming language (PL) and learning management system (LMS) education, determine the success of the roll-out.