





































Education, Language and Sociology Research 

ISSN 2690-3644 (Print) ISSN 2690-3652 (Online) 

Vol. 6, No. 2, 2025 

www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/elsr 

158 
 

Original Paper 

Research on the Cultivation of Preservice Teachers’ 

Computational Thinking Based on Case-driven Teaching 

Approach 

Kaitian Luo1 

1 Computer Science and Technology, Sichuan Minzu College, Kangding City, China 

 

Received: May 3, 2025         Accepted: May 21, 2025      Online Published: June 9, 2025 

doi:10.22158/elsr.v6n2p158        URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/elsr.v6n2p158 

 

Abstract 

Computational thinking, as the core thinking mode in the information age, is of vital importance in the 

cultivation of computer application abilities among teachers’ students. Based on the background of 

Education Informatization 2.0, this paper explores the computer hardware cognition, application of 

educational technology tools, digital resource integration, and AI technology practice abilities that 

teachers’ students need to possess. By analyzing the role of case-driven teaching in the “University 

Computer and Artificial Intelligence” course, the “problem scenario - technical analysis - solution 

implementation” path is used to promote the transformation from theory to practice. The ways of 

constructing a multi-dimensional case system, implementing student-centered phased task-driven, 

establishing a dynamic assessment and evaluation mechanism, and promoting the structured 

development of teachers’ students’ computational thinking are discussed. 

Keywords 

computational thinking, teachers’ students, computer application, ability cultivation, Artificial 

Intelligence 

 

Computational thinking is the core thinking mode in the information age, along with theoretical thinking 

and experimental thinking, forming the three major methodologies of modern scientific research. The 

core of computational thinking is based on computer science and network technology, and it is a thinking 

mode that solves complex problems through abstraction and algorithmic means. In the current cultivation 

of college students’ computer skills, establishing a positive computational thinking and using modern 

computers and communication technologies to solve problems have become the core module of college 

students’ skill cultivation. Even in daily life, computational thinking is also everywhere: the optimal path 



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planning of navigation systems is essentially the application of graph theory algorithms, the back-end of 

e-commerce recommendation systems is supported by collaborative filtering algorithms, and even the 

prioritization of daily affairs also implies the logic of task scheduling algorithms. Therefore, this article 

will, based on the discussion of the main requirements of current teacher students for computer 

application abilities, conduct an in-depth analysis of the position and role of case-driven teaching in the 

basic course teaching of “University Computer and Artificial Intelligence”, and thereby explore the 

cultivation of teacher students’ computational thinking through case-driven teaching. 

 

1. The Main Requirements for Computer Application Skills of Current Teacher Candidates 

Under the background of the in-depth implementation of the Education Informatization 2.0 Action Plan, 

teacher candidates, as the main force of the future teaching staff, their computer application skills directly 

affect the process of educational digital transformation. In light of the requirements of teacher 

professional certification, it is not difficult to find that teacher candidates should possess computer 

hardware cognition and familiarity, mastery of common computer software, information recognition and 

comprehensive processing, etc. 

1.1 Overall Mastery and Systematic Control of Educational Technology Tools 

Teacher candidates need to deeply master the operation of intelligent teaching platforms, be proficient in 

the basic requirements of computer technology and network usage, and be able to manage classes and 

design teaching through mixed teaching systems such as Yuelin Classroom. In terms of information 

technology and multimedia application, in addition to traditional courseware production, they also need 

to possess the ability to develop virtual simulation experiments, master AI and other artificial intelligence 

tools, and be able to generate the necessary teaching resources or materials using computers. For example, 

in the school where the author works, through “micro-lecture classrooms + AI recording systems”, 

teacher candidates can automatically analyze their teaching situations and teacher quality data through 

big data, thereby effectively combining traditional training with intelligent technology, and significantly 

enhancing the depth of application of technology tools. 

1.2 Ability to Integrate and Develop Digital Educational Resources 

Digital resource creation has gone beyond the scope of traditional courseware production. If current 

teacher candidates fail to make full use of various online course resources and produce all teaching 

materials by themselves, it no longer meets the requirements of modern teaching models. Teacher 

candidates should master the entire process of micro-video production, including scriptwriting 

(Storyboard), video editing (Premiere), animation production (AE, FLASH), etc. At the same time, in 

some relatively specialized educational fields, teacher candidates should also possess the ability to 

develop and integrate various online teaching resources. For example, they should be able to use voice 

and automatic network synthesis technology to create audio-visual images to help students understand 

and master the content they have learned. The learning videos of various ancient poems and texts 

generated by AI at present well illustrate this core requirement. 



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1.3 Practice and Innovation Ability of Modern AI Intelligent Education Technology 

Against the backdrop of a digital power nation, the application ability of modern AI intelligent 

technology has become one of the core competitiveness. Teachers-in-training need to understand the 

principles of educational data collection and master the basic methods of learning analysis technology 

(LA). In the field of artificial intelligence education, they should have basic cognitive abilities in natural 

language processing and be able to operate intelligent grading systems for homework evaluation. How 

to utilize the basic grammatical requirements of various large data models and solve the teaching 

problems that need to be achieved through generative algorithms has become a major issue that current 

teachers-in-training have to face. This frontier ability cultivation requires the establishment of a 

“laboratory + teaching case task-driven + computer core ability cultivation” collaborative mechanism. 

Thus, through the establishment of modular course groups, multi-mentor guidance mechanisms, and 

collective lesson preparation mechanisms, the digital teaching competence, practical development and 

innovation ability of teachers-in-training can be systematically enhanced. 

 

2. The Position and Role of Case-Based Teaching in the Basic Course of “University Computer and 

Artificial Intelligence” 

In the context of the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology, big data technology, and 

modern network communication technology, the teaching model of the basic course “University 

Computer and Artificial Intelligence” urgently needs innovation and change. The case-based teaching 

method, by reconfiguring the knowledge transmission path, demonstrates unique value in enhancing 

students’ practical abilities and innovative thinking. Its position and role are mainly reflected in the 

following three aspects. 

2.1 Achieve the Transformation from Theoretical Knowledge to Practical Ability 

Under the traditional teaching model, the principles of artificial intelligence algorithms and the 

fundamentals of computer technology are often imparted in fragmented knowledge points. The most 

common method is for teachers to impart knowledge in a rote manner, which makes it difficult for 

students to develop a strong interest in learning. The cultivation of computer application skills thus 

becomes dull and uninteresting. However, case teaching, through the multi-dimensional path of “problem 

scenario - technical analysis - solution implementation”, constructs thinking patterns, collects and 

processes data, and solves problems concretely. For example, in “WORD Graphic and Text Mixed 

Layout”, after the teacher sets the target task, students can quickly utilize the relevant computer 

knowledge they have learned and combine their own aesthetics to create innovative compositions and 

arrangements of colors, graphics, and text. This task-driven mode based on real scenarios effectively 

breaks through the barrier between theory and practice. 

2.2 Reflect the Fun of Multi-dimensional Exploration and Team Creation 

The teaching task is not only to solve the so-called knowledge problems, but also to enable students to 

learn in a joyful manner. Case-based teaching reshapes the classroom teaching ecosystem through an 



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iterative mechanism of “case presentation - group discussion - outcome presentation and update”. For 

example, in the practical teaching of “Comprehensive Application of EXCEL Functions”, the teacher 

first demonstrates the powerful functions of the intelligent application, then organizes students to debate 

and think about different functions to solve different functional sections, and finally submits the best 

solutions through teams. This three-dimensional teaching model significantly improves learning 

efficiency. This case-based problem-solving teaching method also cultivates students’ collaboration and 

innovation abilities. 

2.3 Achieve Career Planning and Establish an Important Channel for Lifelong Learning 

Teachers are a profession that requires lifelong learning, especially in the era of rapid development of 

information technology. According to the demand for compound talents in the artificial intelligence 

industry, the construction of the teaching case library should incorporate real industry projects. Taking 

the cultivation of image processing ability of college teachers as an example, current teachers not only 

need to master traditional PS and CorelDRAW, but also should master the common AI generative 

software nowadays, especially by combining smart classrooms with related big data recording and 

management systems, to review their teaching process and continuously dynamically correct their 

teaching design and implementation plans. Thus, the vocational core abilities of teachers can be improved 

in the practical process. Teachers can also enhance their abilities such as Mandarin proficiency, classroom 

questioning, and case teaching design through practical training. They can also obtain vocational training 

in aspects such as demand analysis, technology selection, and project management by simulating real 

working scenarios, effectively shortening the adaptation period from the classroom to the workplace, and 

laying a foundation for teachers to establish the concept of lifelong learning. 

 

3. A Teaching Path for Cultivating Calculative Thinking in Preservice Teachers Based on Case-

driven Approach 

“University Computer and Artificial Intelligence” is a compulsory course for preservice teachers in 

various universities and is also a core course for cultivating their comprehensive application and 

analytical abilities in modern information technology. In the teaching of this course, by using case-driven 

methods, we aim to cultivate preservice teachers’ calculative thinking and computer application skills. 

This is of great significance for enhancing the overall professional literacy and information technology 

capabilities of preservice teachers. 

3.1 Establish a Multi-dimensional Case System and Highlight the Initiative of Learning through Cases 

In the case design of computer basics, we follow the three-dimensional principles of “contextuality, 

hierarchy, and transferability”. As the instructor of the computer course, we usually adopt cases from real 

teaching scenarios, such as “modular development of student performance statistics system”, “campus 

garbage classification data analysis”, or “company cost and profit analysis”, which are concrete projects. 

Students involved in the teaching process, through visual means such as flowchart drawing, computer 

code writing, or tool application, guide preservice teachers to transform the abstract calculative thinking 



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process into observable cognitive operations. For example, in the “WORD Electronic Handwritten 

Newspaper” case, preservice teachers are required to decompose problem elements using tree diagrams, 

and use graphic sketches for text and image mixing and spatial layout, achieving the external 

manifestation of spatial abstraction and logical reasoning thinking, thereby strengthening preservice 

teachers’ practical cognition and ability to solve real problems using computers and calculative thinking. 

3.2 Implement Student-centered Phased Task-driven Approach to Promote the Structured Development 

of Teachers’ Computational Thinking 

In the actual case teaching process, taking “design and implementation of the textbook cover” as an 

example, a four-stage teaching method of “problem introduction - task section decomposition - group 

implementation - iterative optimization of results” can be adopted. In the problem introduction stage, a 

group of students can propose multiple condition descriptions for the actual needs of the textbook cover 

design and discuss the core requirements, thereby laying the foundation for the next step of task 

decomposition. As a teacher of computer or information technology courses, in the second stage, which 

is the task decomposition stage, one should fully understand the students’ ability composition, especially 

the current situation of computer application technology, and conduct targeted task decomposition. In the 

group implementation 环节 , the subjective initiative of the student team should be fully exerted. 

Especially in the final stage of scheme optimization and iterative upgrade, teachers should provide 

guidance on the concretization of computational thinking. This step-by-step training strengthens the 

structured thinking of problem decomposition, pattern abstraction and algorithm design, and also 

cultivates students’ cooperative awareness and innovation ability in practice. 

3.3 Integrate the Characteristics of Teacher Education and Establish a Dynamic Assessment and 

Evaluation Mechanism to Promote the Transfer Application of Computational Thinking 

As teachers-in-training, how to integrate the cultivation of computational thinking with teaching design 

ability should become an important part of their information technology courses and also an important 

content for improving their teacher education in practice. For example, interdisciplinary cases such as 

“algorithm design for solving mathematical problems in primary school” can be trained through micro-

teaching practice, requiring teachers-in-training to design teaching plans containing computational 

thinking elements and simulate the implementation in primary and secondary school classrooms. This 

dual training not only enhances computational thinking ability but also cultivates their future ability to 

design and implement computational thinking teaching, forming a virtuous cycle of “acquisition of 

ability - transformation of ability”. It is known that the current assessment of computer-related courses 

in various universities mainly relies on the final “exam”, with a relatively small proportion of the average 

score. To truly achieve the daily application of computer skills and the cultivation of computational 

thinking, it is necessary to vigorously advocate diversified teaching effect evaluation methods such as 

peer evaluation, teacher evaluation, and third-party evaluation. For example, in the case of “my 

hometown multimedia display PPT design”, teachers-in-training are required to complete the stages of 

requirement analysis, material collection, architecture design, animation design, and code 



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implementation in groups, and conduct a “developer - teacher” dual perspective defense through role-

playing, forming a “design - implementation - reflection” thinking loop, thereby guiding students to 

achieve the transfer of true computational thinking awareness and ability. This dynamic feedback 

mechanism uses diversified assessment methods to promote the transfer application of thinking, and at 

the same time integrates the characteristics of teacher education to achieve the dual improvement of 

computational thinking and teaching design ability. Through the author’s teaching practice, this model 

has effectively improved the problem abstraction, algorithm design, and teaching transformation abilities 

of teachers-in-training. 

 

About the author 

Luo Kaitian (1977 --), male, Han nationality, born in Yibin, Sichuan Province, associate professor of 

Computer Science and Technology, Sichuan Mimzu College, Master of Software Engineering, main 

research interests are complex networks and computer applications. 

 

Fund Project 

Sichuan Mimzu College Education Reform Project “Research on the Cultivation of Computer 

Application Ability and Computational Thinking of Normal University Students under the Background 

of Teacher Professional Certification”, Project number: X-JG202333. 

 

References 

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Differentiated Teaching Oriented to Interest-driven Approach - Taking “University Computer” 

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Yang, Z. Z., Zhang, H., Du, H. Y., & Gu, B. (2024). Cultivating College Students’ Computational 

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