An Examination of Computational Thinking in Mathematics Education through Bibliometric and Content Analysis

The importance of computational thinking in the 21st century has been widely acknowledged, with its incorporation into school curricula around the world. However, there is no consensus on the content of computational thinking, which has led to a growing interest in the field. This has necessitated the need for review studies that are expected to provide a clear explanation of the literature and trends in the field. In this context, this study aimed to examine the studies on computational thinking in mathematics education in two dimensions. First, bibliometric analysis was used to provide a general framework of the field. To this end, the Web of Science database was searched, and 194 publications were included in the analysis. The 10 most cited articles were then selected from these publications and content analyzed in terms of their methodological approaches, aims, and results. Through these analyses, research trends were identified. The results of the bibliometric analysis revealed the most frequently used keywords, the most productive countries, the most influential authors, and articles. The results of the content analysis indicate that the most cited articles address the integration of computational thinking into mathematics education in theoretical and applied contexts. It is anticipated that the findings will inform future studies.