Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
2nd International Scientific Conference of Current Issues in Foreign Language Education, Simkent, Kazakistan, 28 - 29 Şubat 2024, cilt.2, sa.1, ss.86-93, (Tam Metin Bildiri)
Emerging as a 21st-century skill for every student from any discipline, integrating computational thinking (CT) into education has become a requirement for teachers. Although CT has attracted significant attention in STEM education, it has received limited consideration in other domains, particularly within the realm of English language teacher training. In this respect, the current study aimed to contribute to this gap by investigating the CT skills of preservice English language teachers. Utilizing the Computational Thinking Scale (CTS), developed by Korkmaz et al. (2017), we aimed to assess the CT levels among preservice English language teachers enrolled in the English language teaching program at a mid-size university in northeastern Türkiye. As language teachers integrate technology and digital resources more frequently into their classrooms, it has become increasingly crucial to understand their CT skills. Moreover, investigating the connection between CT and language education can provide insights into the opportunities to enhance language instruction through encouraging innovative teaching practices. Highlighting the significance of CT in preparing English language teacher candidates for the challenges of 21st-century education can contribute to developing a new perspective for teacher education programs. Therefore, this study aimed to provide insights into the relevance and importance of integrating CT into language teacher education curricula through the examination of future English language educators‘ CT skills. The data were collected from 28 preservice English language teachers and analyzed using SPSS 21. The participants demonstrated a moderate level of CT proficiency, with notable strengths in creativity but a need for improvement in algorithmic thinking skills. These findings underscored the importance of targeted interventions to enhance algorithmic thinking skills among preservice language teachers, while also highlighting the overall competency of participants in other dimensions of CT. The study presents significant implications for informing practices and policies in language teacher education.