Creating and Performing Educational Gymnastics Using Computational Thinking Skills

Purpose : This study examined how physical education majors used computational thinking (CT) skills in a movement concept course. Method : Twenty-two physical education majors were tasked to create two gymnastics routines (i.e., algorithm design), analyze their routines (i.e., decomposition and abstraction), create and follow a personalized fitness plan (i.e., abstract), revise the routines (i.e., debugging), and perform the routines at the end of the semester. Data were analyzed as a single case study with embedded units using structural coding. Results : The participants demonstrated strengths with debugging and algorithm design ; however, they struggled with decomposition and abstraction , which was congruent with previous research regarding these two concepts as the most difficult and important CT skills to master. Discussion/Conclusions : The findings underscore the value of CT skills in a non-STEM (i.e., science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) course, expending the instructional appropriateness to expose CT to undergraduate students with little to no interest or previous experience in STEM.