2025 Volume 20 Issue 1 Pages 73-83
This study implemented remote beginner-level programming education via Zoom for prospective international graduate students planning to enroll in Japanese universities. The programming language used was Scratch, and a new instructional tool, the “Scratch Learning Aid,” was developed specifically for this purpose. As part of pre-enrollment education, the objective was to provide foundational programming knowledge, enabling students to apply programming skills to the development of educational materials in graduate school. Small-group remote classes were conducted and tailored to the learners’ needs. We evaluated all student-created programs using Dr. Scratch and analyzed scores from the Computational Thinking Test (CTT). The results showed a general improvement in Dr. Scratch scores as practice exercises progressed. Furthermore, post-test CTT scores were higher across all three categories compared to pre-test scores, indicating improved student performance over the course of the program.
