Gender differential item functioning analysis in measuring computational thinking disposition among secondary school students

Abstract

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Computational thinking refers to the cognitive processes underpinning the application of computer science concepts and methodologies to the methodical approach and creation of a solution to a problem. The study aims to determine how students’ cognitive, affective, and conative dispositions in using computational thinking are influenced by a gender. This study used a survey research design with quantitative approach. Five hundred thirty-five secondary school students were sampled using probability sampling with the Computational Thinking Disposition Instrument (CTDI). WINSTEPS version 3.71.0 software was subsequently employed to assess the Gender Differential item functioning (GDIF) including reliability and validity with descriptive statistics were employed to assess students’ disposition toward practicing computational thinking. In addition to providing implications for the theory, the data give verifiable research that the CT disposition profile consists of three constructs. In addition, the demonstrated CTDI has good GDIF features, which may be employed to evaluate the efficacy of the application of CT in the Malaysian curriculum by measuring the level of CT in terms of the disposition profile of students.

Keywords

• computational thinking
• disposition
• Rasch model
• gender differential item functioning
• secondary school
• student