經濟學課程中運算思維能力的培養與運用

Developing Computational Thinking Skills and Dispositions in Economics Lectures

為了將運算思維的觀念融入於經濟學課程的教學實務中，引導學生在非資訊專業學科的學習上，發揮運算思維的能力，本研究一方面延續作者長期以來的教學設計實務，針對各授課單元，蒐集相關新聞時事報導內容，編寫時事報導案例，並設計出強調運算思維能力涵養的研討問題；另一方面，則是透過線上虛擬情境模擬教材，讓學生進行經濟政策（包括貨幣政策與財政政策）的模擬決策分析，並做政策執行結果的評估。本研究實證結果發現，學生在程式設計應用課程的學習表現與經濟學課程中所設計強調運算思維能力涵養的時事議題案例研討作業成績之間，呈現出高度的關聯性，這意味著引導學生涵養並運用運算思維能力於跨學科的學習上，已獲致初步成效。另外，迴歸分析的結果則是指出，第二學期經濟學課程運算思維導向時事議題案例研討作業成績，會受到第一學期程式設計應用課程的學習表現、第一學期經濟學課程運算思維導向時事議題案例研討作業成績，以及第二學期經濟學課程即時互動式線上時事與專業知識測驗成績等三項解釋變數顯著正向的影響，而這三項解釋變數則是分別反映出學生運算思維的涵養與運用能力、時事議題案例研討作業寫作經驗的省思能力，以及時事議題相關知識與觀念的了解與課堂參與程度。

By investigating and identifying core computational thinking concepts and capabilities commonly discussed in the computer science area, this research aims to adopt two teaching practices to integrate computational thinking into Economics lectures. First, through the case study as a support and an illustration in Economics lectures, news reports will be collected and adapted as discussion cases with discussion questions focused on computational thinking. Second, three simulation scenarios that students might play would be developed to bring economic policymaking to life for students by letting them understand the economic environment of the country, make monetary and fiscal policy decisions, and analyze the consequences of their decision making. The evidence of the research shows that students’ learning performance in the Application of Programming course is positively correlated with grades of real-world case studies homework focused on computational thinking in the Economics course with statistical significance, which implies the teaching practices motivating students to develop and apply computational thinking concepts in interdisciplinary courses learning has reached a satisfactory result. In the regression analysis, students’ learning performance in the Application of Programming course in the first semester, grades of real-world case studies homework in the Economics course in the first semester, and in-class interactive online tests about the latest economic news and economics concepts in Economics course in the second semester, all have positive impacts on grades of real-world case studies homework in the Economics course in the second semester. It means the more students are equipped with computational thinking skills and dispositions, academic reflection skills, or are engaging in classroom interaction and participation, the better academic performance students will have on real-world case studies homework focused on computational thinking.