A Study on the Development of Metacognition and Computational Thinking in Elementary Students Learning Visual Programming

Abstract

This exploratory study investigates the impact of
integrating Computational Thinking (CT) into Scratch-based
digital storytelling on the metacognition of 22 elementary
students. Triangulating data from the Jr. MAI, cCTt, Dr.
Scratch,
and behavioral analysis, results revealed significant gains
in Knowledge of Cognition (MK) but not in Regulation of
Cognition (MR), evidencing a "know-do gap". Practical
analysis identified abstraction and logic as primary
learning
bottlenecks; students' reliance on linear command stacking
rather than modular thinking increased cognitive load during
debugging. Future pedagogy should emphasize custom block
training to help students bridge this gap, with longitudinal
studies recommended to verify long-term effects.