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Teaching and learning Computational Thinking (CT) is at the forefront of educational interest. In the process of teaching and learning CT, learning strategies and tools play an important role. Efforts have been made to apply several learning strategies for teaching Computational Thinking. Among them, game-based learning and scaffolding are widely adopted. However, more research is needed on how the absence and presence of scaffolding strategies in programming games could affect students' cognitive CT learning gains. This study aims to investigate the effect of scaffolding programming games on the development of middle school students’ CT. In addition, herein we aim to explore the effect of students’ programming attitudes in their CT development. To this end, students were introduced to CT under two distinct experimental conditions: a scaffolding version of a programming game and a non-scaffolding version of the same game. Results report statistically significant differences between the pre- and post-intervention CT scores for all students and statistically significant improvement in learning outcomes in favor of the scaffolding group. In addition, the study hypothesized that attitudes towards programming would have an impact on students’ CT. Although this hypothesis has not been confirmed, the results suggest that students who have a less positive attitude towards programming could particularly benefit from scaffolding aspects in programming games.

With Open Data becoming more popular and more public bodies publishing their datasets, the need for educating prospective graduates on how they can use them has become prominent. This study examines the use of the Problem Based Learning (PBL) method and educational technologies to support the development of Open Data skills in university students. The study follows a Design Based Research approach and consists of three phases: a) examination of stakeholders' needs, b) design of an Open Data module, and c) re-design of the module based on the outcomes of its first run. The data collected throughout the three phases come from various sources, namely interviews with practitioners, focus groups with students, and tutors' reflection. The findings suggest that while the PBL method is suitable for Open Data education, special care should be taken to ensure that the potential of educational technologies is fully realised. The study concludes with design principles that aim to guide instructors on how they can incorporate the PBL method and digital tools into Open Data education effectively.The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10639-022-10995-9.

Traditional education seems to gradually and moderately make way for self-directed and student-centred learning strategies that will efficiently enable students to reach their full potentials and will sufficiently prepare them for their upcoming professional careers. Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is such a strategy, since it enables active participation by shifting the focus from the delivery of knowledge to its creation by the students, in their endeavour to implement problem-based projects. PBL is more commonly used in project-oriented courses, where students have to not only build but also apply new knowledge in real world contexts and therefore familiarize themselves with work conditions. Online technologies, such as cognitive tools, are able to harmonize this shift by visualizing some of the more demanding steps of PBL as well as facilitating collaboration and knowledge building. The aim of this paper is to investigate the incorporation of cognitive technologies in project-oriented courses, using a Blended PBL strategy. To this end, we implement our findings in a Project Management postgraduate course. Based on the gathered results, we propose a framework that can guide the design of project-oriented courses and we argue that its adaptation can exploit the identified strengths and avoid the weaknesses and lead to successful and immersive learning processes.