Changes in Learning Python Programming Concepts Following the Implementation of Instruction Based on the 7E Learning Cycle Model among Seventh-Grade Female Students: A Single-Group Study

.Background and Objectives: Programming education has become increasingly important in school curricula because of its potential to develop students’ computational thinking, problem-solving skills, logical reasoning, and digital literacy. However, learning programming concepts can be challenging for lower-secondary students because many concepts are abstract and difficult to connect with everyday experiences. Traditional teacher-centered instruction may further limit opportunities for students to explore concepts, test ideas, identify errors, and construct meaningful understanding through practice. Python is considered a suitable language for beginners because of its relatively readable syntax, although fundamental concepts such as conditional statements and loops may remain difficult to understand. Learner-centered instructional approaches can help address these challenges by encouraging active exploration, feedback, and practical application. The 7E learning cycle, developed by Eisenkraft (2003) as an extension of the 5E model, comprises seven phases: eliciting prior knowledge, engaging, exploring, explaining, elaborating, evaluating, and extending. The model emphasizes the activation of prior knowledge and the application and transfer of learning to new situations. Although the model has been examined in various educational fields, particularly science education, empirical evidence concerning its application to programming education at the lower-secondary level remains limited. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effectiveness of 7E-based instruction in learning Python programming concepts among seventh-grade female students.
Methodology: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a one-group pretest–posttest structure. The statistical population consisted of seventh-grade female students attending lower-secondary schools in Qazvin during the 1403–1404 academic year. Using convenience sampling, 27 students from one class participated in the study. The instructional intervention was implemented over four 70-minute sessions and structured around the seven phases of the 7E learning cycle. Initially, students’ prior knowledge and experiences related to programming were elicited. Engaging activities were then used to attract their attention and establish meaningful connections with the subject. During exploration, students investigated programming concepts through practical activities, experimentation, and interaction with the programming environment. The explanation phase focused on clarifying concepts and developing more accurate understanding. During elaboration, students applied their knowledge to additional examples and activities. Evaluation was integrated throughout instruction to monitor learning progress, while extension activities encouraged students to transfer and generalize their knowledge to new situations. Data were collected using a researcher-made 10-item assessment designed to measure students’ learning of the targeted Python programming concepts. Descriptive statistics and the Wilcoxon signed-rank nonparametric test were used to analyze the data. All statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 26, with the significance level set at 0.05.
Findings: The results indicated an improvement in students’ performance following the 7E-based instructional intervention. The mean pretest score was 32.89, increasing to 41.56 on the posttest. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest scores (Z = -4.35, P < 0.001). The effect size was r = 0.84, indicating a substantial difference between the two measurement occasions. Individual performance results further showed that 24 of the 27 participants obtained higher posttest scores than pretest scores, whereas one student obtained a lower score and two students showed no change. These descriptive and inferential findings consistently indicated improved performance after participation in the instructional program.
Discussion and Conclusion:The findings provide initial empirical evidence of an association between 7E-based instruction and improved learning of selected Python programming concepts among the participating seventh-grade female students. The observed improvement may be related to the learner-centered structure of the 7E model, which encourages students to activate prior knowledge, explore concepts, engage in practical activities, clarify their understanding, and apply knowledge in different contexts. These opportunities may help students test their ideas, identify errors, and observe the consequences of their actions within the programming environment. Exploration and elaboration may be particularly valuable because programming requires students to move beyond memorizing definitions and develop the ability to apply concepts to practical problems. Similarly, the extension phase encourages the transfer and generalization of learning to unfamiliar situations. Nevertheless, the findings should be interpreted in light of the study’s limitations. The sample was relatively small and drawn from a single class, and the one-group pretest–posttest design did not include a control or comparison group. Therefore, the observed improvement cannot be attributed exclusively to the 7E instructional model. Furthermore, the assessment focused on selected Python programming concepts rather than comprehensively measuring programming competence. Overall, 7E-based instruction appears to be a potentially useful learner-centered approach for teaching selected programming concepts at the lower-secondary level. Future research should employ larger and more diverse samples, control or comparison groups, and longer intervention periods. Further studies should also investigate its effects on programming problem-solving skills, computational thinking, motivation, engagement, and the transfer of programming knowledge to new situations.