CURRENT STATE AND PROBLEMS OF PRESCHOOL TEACHERS IN PROMOTING COMPUTATIONAL THINKING FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study the current state and problems faced by kindergarten teachers in promoting computational thinking among young children in schools under the Bangkok Primary Educational Service Area Office. The study focused on two aspects: promoting computational thinking through daily routines and through learning activities. The participants were 113 kindergarten teachers in the academic year 2025. The research instrument was a questionnaire consisting of 28 items with a Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of 0.94. Quantitative data were analyzed using frequency distribution, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, while qualitative data from open-ended questions were analyzed using content analysis. The results showed that the overall level of practice in promoting computational thinking among kindergarten teachers was high (M = 4.04). When examining each aspect, promoting computational thinking through daily routines had the highest average score (M = 4.14), followed by promoting it through learning activities (M = 3.95). In terms of specific components within daily routines, the highest score was for encouraging children to solve everyday problems (M = 4.20), followed by training children to perform daily tasks in a step-by-step manner (M = 4.09). For learning activities, the highest score was for guiding children to identify the essential elements of tasks (M = 4.27), followed by helping children break down big problems into smaller parts (M = 4.00). The major problems reported by teachers were in organizing learning activities, especially difficulties in encouraging children to explore patterns and find solutions. The next most common issue was in daily routines, particularly in fostering children's problem-solving in real-life situations.