Student Difficulties in Algorithmic and Programming-Based Computational Thinking: Teachers’ Perspectives

Enjun Junaeti, Andini Setya Arianti, Nusuki Syariati Fathimah

Abstract


Integration of computational thinking (CT) into the informatics curriculum at the Junior High School (JHS) level aims to strengthen students' problem-solving abilities. However, its implementation faces various challenges from a pedagogical point of view. This study aims to explore teacher perceptions of the obstacles students face in learning the concepts of algorithms and programming.  Using a quantitative approach with a descriptive survey method, data was collected from 37 informatics teachers through a structured questionnaire covering conceptual, procedural, and problem-solving dimensions.  The results showed that the conceptual dimension has the highest level of difficulty, especially in materials with high abstraction such as recursion and complex conditional logic.  In the procedural dimension, students showed limitations in evaluating and testing algorithms.  Meanwhile, in the problem-solving dimension, the main obstacle lies in the decomposition phase and the construction of solutions from open-ended problems.  These findings confirm that student difficulties are hierarchical, where a weak understanding of the logical foundation hinders technical and applicative skills.


Keywords


Algorithm; Computational Thinking; Junior High School Teachers; Learning Difficulties; Programming

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.17509/jgrkom.v6i2.96022

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