The Relationship between Computational Thinking Concept and Computational Thinking Skills among Trainee Teachers: A Conceptual Paper

Computational thinking (CT) is the crucial skill for the 21st century which is gaining increasing significance in our rapidly advancing technological world. Therefore, since the demand for CT has increased in modern education systems, Malaysia also incorporated computational thinking skills into its curriculum to align with global 21st-century educational trends. While understanding CT concepts is foundational, the ability to apply these skills effectively can vary based on training quality and individual attitudes. A few studies have examined whether CT attitudes influence CT skills. This study is conducted to investigate the relationship between trainee teachers’ perception of CT concepts and their CT skills. The study focuses on six core CT concepts: Logic, Algorithms, Decomposition, Pattern Recognition, Abstraction, and Evaluation. The study employed a correlational research design with quantitative survey method was used; items were constructed in questionnaire to acquire teachers’ perception and their knowledge about CT concept, while Bebras Challenge Tasks to assess their CT skills. 100 science trainee teachers from all IPGM over Malaysia are targeted to complete the survey form and Pearson correlation test is used to analyze the survey data. Results from this study provide insights into how CT concepts correlate with CT skills and the perceptions of trainee teachers towards CT concepts.