Playfulness as a Pedagogical Approach to Teaching Sequential and Binary Search Algorithms

• Graziela Ferreira Guarda University of Seville / Fluminense Federal University http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7790-0723
• Sandro Miranda de Rezende Fluminense Federal University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1179-3443
• Sérgio Crespo Coelho da Silva Pinto Fluminense Federal University https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6914-2398

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/educomp.2022.19205

Abstract

This experience report presents the results of the application of a playful approach associated with Computational Thinking (CT) as a pedagogical strategy in teaching sequential and binary search algorithms with higher education students. In this sense, the activity creatively explored algorithms by jointly developing CT skills. The same was carried out in a classroom with 60 students of the Algorithms and Programming discipline. The experience was considered successful and the method stimulating because it is an attractive and non-traditional activity, in addition to having contributed to the improvement of academic performance.

Keywords: Search Algorithms, Computational Thinking, Binary Search, Sequential Search

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