Abstract—Argumentation is a scientific literacy practice
focused on developing scientific thinking skills associated with
problem-solving. As computing has become an integral part of
our world, computational thinking skills are requisite for
successful problem-solving. The significant effect of
computational thinking applications on the efficacy of scientific
literacy practices is increasingly acknowledged. In this article,
we propose a framework that conceptualizes the constructivist
argumentation as a context for problem-solving by applying
five computational thinking dimensions, viz. algorithmic design,
decomposition, abstraction, evaluation, and generalization. The
framework emphasizes two aspects, students’ problem-solving
capability and quality of argumentation. Drawing from the
literature on scientific argumentation and problem-solving, we
argue that the application of computational thinking
dimensions in science learning is currently overlooked in the
instructional environment. To nurture higher order thinking
skills and to engage effective problem-solvers, our framework
incorporates four Computational Thinking-Argumentation
design principles to support instructional innovation in the
teaching and learning of science at the secondary school level,
viz. 1) developing problem-solving competencies and building
capability in solving uncertainties throughout scientific inquiry;
2) developing creative thinking and cooperativity through
negotiation and evaluation; 3) developing algorithmic thinking
in talking and writing; 4) developing critical thinking in the
processes of abstraction and generalization.
Index Terms—Argumentation, computational thinking,
computational thinking competencies, constructivist,
problem-solving.
Lung Hsiang Wong is with Nanyang Technological University,
Singapore (e-mail: lhwong.acad@gmail.com).
Cite: Xin Pei Voon, Su Luan Wong, Lung-Hsiang Wong, Mas Nida Md. Khambari, and Sharifah Intan Sharina Syed-Abdullah, "Developing Computational Thinking Competencies through Constructivist Argumentation Learning: A Problem-Solving Perspective," International Journal of Information and Education Technology vol. 12, no. 6, pp. 529-539, 2022.
Copyright © 2022 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).