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Abstract
Advances in mathematical problem-solving still face pedagogical limitations in implementing computational thinking. Therefore, this study analyzed the influence of computational thinking on mathematical problem-solving in secondary school. A review of methods revealed difficulties associated with rotated memorization and a weak connection between routine and complex skills. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining a qualitative literature review with a quantitative phase. Articles published between 2015 and 2025 were identified using the Pearl Growing technique and the PRISMA 2025 guidelines. Relationships between terms were examined using VOSviewer 1.6.20, and constructs of computational thinking and its dimensions were defined. Based on this, two 23-item questionnaires were designed, one on computational thinking and the other on mathematical problem-solving. Both instruments used a 5-point Likert scale and were validated by five experts. Content validity was assessed using Aiken's V coefficient, yielding a result of 0.96. Mathematics teachers from Medellín and Valle de Aburrá, Antioquia, participated in the quantitative phase. Data was analyzed using SmartPLS 4.1.1.4 to estimate the formative structural model. The results confirmed theoretically supported hypotheses and showed high explanatory power, especially in problem-solving with computational tools and, to a lesser extent, without computational tools. Furthermore, abstraction, decomposition, algorithmic design, and pattern recognition showed significant effects on problem-solving. Taken together, the findings support the robustness and predictive power of the model, with better performance on problems mediated by computational tools, but also demonstrating that computational thinking skills influence the resolution of mathematical problems in secondary education without computational tools.
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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Article Type: Research Article
EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 22, Issue 4, April 2026, Article No: em2810
https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/18155
Publication date: 01 Apr 2026
Online publication date: 18 Mar 2026
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Article Downloads: 7
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