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In this paper, authors wanted to see if a CS Unplugged method—which uses physical activities to explain computer science ideas—could help students better understand how a bubble sort algorithm works. The 204 students from middle and high schools in Split, Croatia were divided into two groups: 1. Experimental Group: Learned bubble sort through interactive CS Unplugged activities. 2. Control Group: Learned through traditional teaching methods (lectures and notes). Students' understanding was tested before, during, and after the lessons. Both groups learned how bubble sort works, but the students who did the hands-on activities remembered it better over time. Some common mistakes were identified, like thinking they needed to start from scratch after every swap or that the biggest number only needs one move to reach the end. In short, while CS Unplugged didn’t immediately make students much better at understanding bubble sort, it helped them retain the knowledge longer. Plus, it highlighted misconceptions that can be addressed through active learning, making it a valuable tool for teaching computer science concepts in a fun and memorable way.

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This page is a summary of: Teaching the Bubble Sort Algorithm Using CS Unplugged Activities at the K-12 Level, Digital Threats Research and Practice, November 2024, ACM (Association for Computing Machinery),
DOI: 10.1145/3706120.
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