Computational and complex thinking: exploratory descriptive study of microlearning for sustainability

Abstract

Computational and complex thinking are indispensable competencies for resolving complex problems; global challenges make it imperative to address them transdisciplinary. This research aimed to analyze the application of computational and complex thinking in higher education students through a microcourse oriented toward sustainable development goal seven (SDG 7) to identify disciplinary and gender differences. An exploratory, descriptive study was conducted with 322 higher education students in five different disciplines in 4 Latin American countries, implementing E4C&CT, a digital ecosystem with microcourses oriented to the SDG. The findings highlight that (a) students in the Engineering and Technology and Social Sciences areas who did not disclose their gender attained the highest mean scores when using computational and complex thinking to design a renewable energy system; second were men and women from the Humanities Sciences area, and (b) when using these competencies to design solar photovoltaic systems for a home, women from the Social Sciences area had lower results than the group average; this information can help develop personalized training paths. This study is useful for teachers who want to implement microlearning targeting global problems, society desiring to be educated in these topics, and decision-makers in Engineering and Technology, Humanities, Medical Sciences, and Natural and Social sciences.