Students’ Interpretations of Introductory Programming Across Educational Levels: A Qualitative Study

Abstract Book of the 11th International Conference on Research in Teaching and Education

Year: 2026

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Students’ Interpretations of Introductory Programming Across Educational Levels: A Qualitative Study

Dr. Carmen Nolasco-Salcedo

ABSTRACT:

Introductory programming experiences are increasingly used to promote computational thinking and digital literacy across educational contexts; however, limited attention has been given to how students at different educational stages interpret these initial encounters. This study explores students’ interpretations of introductory programming across primary, upper secondary, and university levels through a qualitative interpretive approach. A total of 260 students from Ocotlán, Jalisco, Mexico participated in three stage-appropriate activities: an Hour of Code tutorial, an Arduino workshop, and an introductory GitHub session. Data were generated through classroom observations, informal interactions, and reflective field notes, allowing for an in-depth understanding of students’ perspectives. Findings reveal stage-specific patterns in how programming is experienced: primary school students engaged with programming as a playful and exploratory activity, upper secondary students emphasized its functional and technological relevance, and university students associated it with academic usefulness and professional preparation. The results suggest that engagement is strengthened when instructional design aligns with learners’ developmental stage, highlighting the importance of context-sensitive approaches to introductory programming.

Keywords: Computational Thinking; Educational Levels; Programming Education; Qualitative Study; Student Experience