Design and use of domain-specific programming platforms: interdisciplinary computational thinking with EarSketch and TunePad

The Domain-Specific Programming (DSP) platforms EarSketch and TunePad are being used widely in schools for coding novices. Existing studies on both platforms have mainly concentrated on attitudinal changes, leaving a gap in the literature. The purpose of this research was to advance our understanding of two contrasting DSP platform designs that aim to achieve the same Computational Thinking (CT) learning goals. Two mixed-method case studies were conducted in an authentic school setting to evaluate the design and use of EarSketch and TunePad. The results suggest both platforms enabled CT that contributed to interdisciplinary learning outcomes, but educators and DSP platform designers should be mindful of their respective strengths, weaknesses, and limitations. Each platform may suit diverse educational goals, considering individual student backgrounds and interests. Additionally, when designing DSP platforms with interactive graphical features, trade-offs for enabling CT should be considered.