The Effect of Coding Education on Analytical Thinking of Gifted Students

This research aims to examine the effect of coding education on the analytical thinking skills of gifted students. The participants are 18 students, 11 to 12 years old. An embedded experimental mixed design was used in the research. The data collection was carried out with the Analytical Thinking Skill Scale to determine the difference in the analytical thinking skills of the study group before and after the coding training; the Analytical Thinking Skill Observation Form to determine the analytical thinking skill levels during the implementation process; and the semi-structured interview form to get their opinions on the coding training. The data were analyzed with a pre-test-post-test quasi-experimental design, descriptive analysis, and content analysis. The results show that coding education developed the participants' analytical thinking skills. The difference in the analytical thinking skills of the study group was not statistically significant in terms of gender. According to the students' views on the coding education application process, there was an improvement in the sub-dimensions of sorting, classification, comparison, and evaluation in analytical thinking skills; coding education developed problem-solving and thinking skills, was useful, encouraged students to choose a profession, and was entertaining, as well as negative opinions such as being difficult, boring, and requiring a lack of time.