An Application of Fuzzy Sets for Studying the Influence of Computational Thinking in Learning Mathematics

Computational thinking is a term recently introduced to describe a set of thinking skills that are integral for systems’ analysis, for solving complex problems and for the understanding of the human behavior, by drawing on principles fundamental to computer science. In this paper we apply two frequently used in the fuzzy sets theory assessment methods for studying the effects of computational thinking in learning mathematics. The first of these methods concerns the measurement of a fuzzy system’s total possibilistic uncertainty, which is connected to the system’s mean performance with respect to an activity taking place within it. The second method is an application of the centroid defuzzification technique properly formulated for our purposes, which provides a weighted measure connected to the system’s quality performance. Our methods are illustrated by a classroom experiment, the results of which provide a strong indication that the use of computers in teaching mathematics enhances the students’ skills for modelling and solving mathematically real world problems. This supports/extends already reported in the literature experimental results (obtained with traditional methods) about the beneficial influence of the use of computers on students’ PS skills.