Computational Thinking in the University Context: A Literature Review of Assessment Instruments

Computational thinking (CT) is recognized as a skill that citizens of the current era must develop to perform effectively in various contexts. This highlights the need to incorporate it at all educational levels to strengthen the teaching, learning, and assessment processes. Considering assessment as one of the key processes to support CT, it is necessary to identify instruments with psychometric properties for its measurement. This systematic review aimed to identify and analyze the different instruments designed to assess CT within the university community (university students, future teachers, current teachers, and adults). The methodology involved a search from 2006 to February 2024 and the use of information sources Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus. A total of 266 articles were found, of which 27 met the inclusion criteria, and 17 instruments were identified that assess CT in the university community. The results showed that these instruments come in various formats, with scales and tests being the most common. The most frequently evaluated variables were algorithmic thinking, abstraction, and decomposition. Regarding psychometric properties, there was limited evidence on the procedures used for instrument validation. The findings revealed an open space for the development of instruments aimed at the university population that allow for the measurement of CT from dimensions beyond the cognitive one. In conclusion, it is identified that the focus of research has been on the assessment of CT skills in school populations and little evaluated in the university community.