Designing an Online Learning Environment for Teachers With a Focus on Computational Thinking

Computational thinking (CT) has become an important competency for teachers seeking to integrate problem-solving and technology-supported reasoning into their instructional practices. However, how CT components can be effectively supported in teacher professional development remains unclear. This study addresses this gap by designing, implementing, and evaluating an online learning environment aimed at supporting teachers’ understanding and application of CT skills. Using the Design-Based Research (DBR) approach proposed by McKenney and Reeves, an iterative process was carried out based on needs identified by a design group of experts. The online environment was developed and then implemented over six weeks with volunteer teachers. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, process observations, reflective journals, performance tasks, and system usage logs. The findings indicate that teachers particularly struggled with abstraction, algorithmic thinking, and problem-solving components of CT, while the modular structure, guided explanations, and practice-oriented activities helped make these components more tangible and supported their learning. Teachers also reported being more successful in connecting CT to classroom contexts when staged feedback, example-driven progression, and interactive features were provided. The study offers a descriptive framework for structuring CT instruction in teacher education and identifies practical design principles for developing online learning environments.