Chapter 1: Techno-Pedagogical Strategies for Computational Thinking in OOP: Impact on University Students’ Performance and Motivation

In the training of professionals dedicated to software development, computational thinking skills have become fundamental competencies. In this context, techno-pedagogical strategies play a very important role in the teaching of programming within higher education. This study aimed to examine the effect of techno-pedagogical strategies on the development of computational thinking, academic performance, and motivation of students enrolled in the Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) course at the Technological University of the Southeast of Veracruz. The research employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches. For the measurement phase, the study used an adapted version of the Bebras Test in the preliminary and subsequent stages of the research, which also included an analysis of academic performance. On the other hand, semi-structured interviews were conducted as part of the field research. The findings were validated through methodological triangulation. The results showed significant and meaningful progress: the failure rate decreased from 32.18% to 21.19%, while the Bebras Test scores increased, especially in higher-order skills. Semi-structured interviews with students indicated that the incorporation of the Scratch tool and immediate feedback were key elements in fostering student motivation. The findings suggest that techno-pedagogical strategies promote active and meaningful learning, enabling not only the development of computational thinking skills but also improvements in academic performance indicators. It is recommended that other institutions or training programs replicate this approach to strengthen 21st-century competencies among their students.