Unplugged programming practice in Chinese rural primary schools: a method to foster students’ computational thinking and resilience

Computational thinking (CT), acknowledged as a crucial twenty-first century skill, has attracted considerable attention. However, cultivating CT in resource-limited rural schools is challenging, with limited research on its development in these settings. Unplugged programming, not constrained by the availability of computer hardware, may offer a promising approach to fostering CT skills within rural schools. This study conducted a six-week quasi-experimental project in a rural school in Guizhou, China. In this study, 43 students participated in unplugged activities in the experimental group, while 45 students in the control group did not engage in any form of programming activities. The findings are noteworthy: post-intervention, the experimental group showed notable improvements in CT skills and resilience, unlike the control group. Additionally, the study explored gender differences, revealing that students of all genders exhibited similar growth in CT skills and resilience through unplugged activities. Resilience was identified as a key factor in enhancing CT skills. Interviews further enriched the quantitative findings. This research provides valuable insights for educators to improve rural education and promote CT education.