SCRATCH AND COMPUTATIONAL THINKING IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A REPORT OF PRACTICE WITH BIOLOGY AND COMPUTING STUDENTS
Keywords:
Computational thinking, Scratch programming language, Biological Sciences, Higher educationAbstract
The training of professionals in Biological Sciences requires the use of computational methods to solve complex problems, which requires an interdisciplinary approach. In this context, computational thinking can contribute significantly to the development of competencies and skills, although there is still a lack of its approach in undergraduate studies. This study reports the experience of an Action Project at School (PAE), carried out in the course (hidden for submission), with the objective of investigating whether programming with games and digital animations focused on programming logic can act as an engagement factor for students of Biological Sciences or if it remains as a privilege of the exact and technological areas. 12 students participated, seven from the biological area and five from the exact sciences, aged between 18 and 30 years old and with varied experiences in programming. The activities involved the development of games and animations in the Scratch language, based on the ARCS motivational model, which guided the analysis from the categories of Attention, Relevance, Trust and Satisfaction. The results indicated that computational thinking can act as a motivational strategy and represent a viable alternative for engagement in teaching-learning in higher education, both for beginners in computing and for students of Biological Sciences.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Vanessa Stangherlin Machado Paixão-Cortes, Cristiane Ellwanger, Regina Barwaldt

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