Development of an implementation framework for computational thinking and programming activities

Computational thinking (CT) and programming are increasingly embedded in digital education policies worldwide, yet many systems struggle to translate policy intentions into sustainable classroom practice. Existing frameworks primarily address CT concepts, pedagogy, or assessment, while offering limited guidance at the ecosystem level of implementation. This study develops and refines the CReSt (Curricula, Resources, Stakeholders, and Feedback) framework to support coordinated and context-sensitive implementation of CT and programming education. Adopting a design-based research approach, the framework was iteratively developed through five phases: systematic literature review and qualitative content analysis; initial framework construction; expert review; proof-of-concept empirical testing through unplugged CT workshops in three Malaysian secondary schools; and teachers’ review and confirmation. The final CReSt-v4 framework conceptualizes implementation as an interaction among curricular alignment across system levels, technological and non-technological resources (including professional development), multi-level stakeholder coordination, and iterative feedback loops. Findings from approximately 200 lower secondary students indicated significant improvement in targeted CT concepts following unplugged workshops conducted in low-resource contexts, with the full quantitative results reported in a companion publication. Teacher feedback confirmed the framework’s clarity and practical relevance. CReSt complements existing CT models by focusing on system-level planning and coordination, offering policymakers, school leaders, and educators a structured tool for equitable and sustainable CT and programming implementation in low-resource contexts. Future work includes implementing in other educational contexts, including technology-rich implementations.