Mesurer l’acquisition de la pensée informatique : conception et validation de deux instruments

Introduction

The learning of programming and the development of computational thinking are now part of the educational objectives in many school systems around the world. However, the lack of consensus on the definition of computational thinking complicates the assessment of its acquisition in a school context.

Objective

The aim of this article is to propose two assessment instruments for computational thinking adapted to the French-speaking school context, with a clear distinction between two fundamental dimensions: mastery of programming concepts and the ability to solve algorithmic problems.

Method

Two tests were designed: the Mastery of Computational Concepts Test, focusing on knowledge of programming concepts, and the Algorithmic Test, assessing the ability to solve algorithmic problems. These instruments were developed in French and validated using psychometric analyses.

Results

Both tests were found to have good psychometric properties, both in terms of reliability and validity.

Conclusion

These two instruments offer a relevant alternative to existing tools, which are often ill-suited to French-speaking contexts or too demanding in terms of test-taking time. They can contribute to a more refined assessment of computational thinking in the school context.