Discovering Programming Talent and Improving Learning Motivation with CodeCombat in K-12 Education

Nurturing programming talent early is crucial in today's digital world, especially in K-12 education, underscored by the rise of programming competitions for younger students. However, with limited research in programming talent search, discovering programming talent in primary schools posed a significant challenge. Traditionally, various test-based talent search tools have been utilized for programming talent identification, including the Computer Talent Search Test (CTST) and the Beginners Computational Thinking Test (BCTt). Game-based platforms like CodeCombat offer an engaging alternative to overcome this challenge. CodeCombat integrates game-based learning with programming education, allowing students to apply their computational thinking skills in an enjoyable context for learning Python. The study revealed a significant correlation between CodeCombat, CTST, and BCTt outcomes. This highlighted that CodeCombat emerged as a valuable platform for talent search, aligning seamlessly with the objectives of the test-based tools and suggesting its effectiveness in boosting programming learning motivation in primary school.