Understanding Algorithms Without Writing Code

Understanding algorithms is no longer a technical skill but a fundamental requirement for navigating modern life and interpreting how processes work across nearly every domain. In recent decades, the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and modern information systems has established Computational Thinking (CT) as a critical 21st-century skill. CT encompasses problem-solving processes like decomposition and abstraction, essential for navigating a technological world, yet many educational systems struggle with its integration. Specifically, in the Republic of Moldova, algorithmic content is introduced too late in the high school curriculum and is often mistakenly viewed as inseparable from complex coding languages. This study addresses this pedagogical gap by examining how a brief, student-led, "unplugged" presentation made by an 11th grade student can influence teachers’ understanding of algorithmic thinking without relying on programming code. To illustrate the expected outcome of a future, real-world study, a pre/post-intervention survey dataset was created as a placeholder using artificial intelligence with 20 hypothetical participants. The data from the simulated survey strongly suggests that even a short, interactive presentation can generate statistically significant improvements in teachers’ comprehension, self-efficacy, and perceived usefulness of algorithmic concepts. These potential results are relevant for educational policy, teacher training, and curricular reform in regions where computational thinking is currently underrepresented, validating the "unplugged" approach as an effective entry point for educators