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

Saralah Sovey; Kamisah Osman; Mohd Effendi Ewan Mohd Matore

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1022304

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

Front Psychiatry. 2022 Nov 24:13:1022304. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1022304. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Saralah Sovey¹, Kamisah Osman², Mohd Effendi Ewan Mohd Matore³

Affiliations

¹ Sungai Ramal Secondary School, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
² Faculty of Education, Centre of STEM Enculturation, National University of Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
³ Faculty of Education, Research Centre of Education Leadership and Policy, National University of Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.

Abstract

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: Rasch model; computational thinking; disposition; gender differential item functioning; secondary school; student.