Enhancing computational thinking through coding education in primary school students: an experimental study on the impact of early programming exposure on problem-solving skills

Introduction This research paper presents an empirical investigation of the effectiveness of early coding instruction in improving problem-solving skills and computational thinking (CT) among primary school students. The primary research question was to determine whether a structured six-month coding intervention yields greater cognitive gains in children aged 8–12 than instruction without coding. Methods The study employed a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design with 200 students randomly assigned to an experimental group ( n = 100) and a control group ( n = 100). The experimental group participated in a 24-week curriculum using Scratch and Python, while the control group followed the standard school curriculum. To assess skill acquisition and practice intensity, paired-sample t -tests, independent-sample t -tests, and Pearson correlation analyses were conducted. Results The findings indicate statistically significant effects for the experimental group, with problem-solving scores increasing to 23.5 from a mean of 17.8 ( p < 0.001) and computational thinking scores increasing to 30.6 from a mean of 20.4 ( p < 0.001), reflecting large effect sizes. In contrast, the control group exhibited no significant gains. Conclusion From a theoretical perspective, the study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that the concrete operational stage of development (ages 7–11) represents a critical period for the development of abstract algorithmic thinking through programming. From a practical standpoint, the results provide evidence-based support for integrating coding into primary education not merely as a professional competency, but as a cognitive development opportunity essential for 21st-century digital literacy.