COMPUTATIONAL THINKING IN BASIC EDUCATION: A Teaching Methodology for Early Years of Elementary Education

Computational Thinking has emerged as an essential skill in Basic Education to address the
challenges of the 21st century, fostering abilities such as logical thinking, critical reasoning,
and problem-solving. Its implementation in early grades prepares students for an increasingly
technological job market, as highlighted by the World Economic Forum and the Brazilian
Computing Society (SBC), which emphasize its importance beyond programming. This study
proposes a methodology for teaching Computational Thinking in the early years of Elementary
Education, integrating Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and the use of Game Design Document
(GDD) as pedagogical tools. The research is based on a systematic literature review, analysis of
official documents such as the BNCC and Resolutions CNE/CP 02/2017 and CNE/CP 04/2018,
as well as theoretical foundations like Piaget’s Genetic Epistemology and neuroscientific evidence
on learning. Additionally, the author’s empirical experience contributed to the development
of the proposed methodology. It is expected that the proposed methodology will support the
teaching of Computational Thinking in public and private schools, fostering the development
of essential skills for the comprehensive education of students.