Abstract

The nation's education sector is mainly focusing on digitalization, with the government investing heavily in technology for teaching and learning. This article emphasizes the importance of developing computational thinking skills within Malaysia's education system. It examines three key variables: (a) digital competency, (b) digital informal learning, and (c) computational thinking skills. These serve as vital indicators to enhance students' tech-based learning. The study used descriptive analysis to assess each variable and a correlational design to explore their relationships, involving 307 16-year-old secondary school students from government schools in Federal Territory Putrajaya, sampled via proportional stratified random sampling. A Google Form survey was sent via registered email from the Malaysian Ministry of Education portal. Results show that most students have high levels of digital informal learning, but only moderate levels of digital competence and computational thinking skills. Correlation analysis reveals significant relationships among variables. Educators are encouraged to focus on promoting computational thinking in the curriculum and teaching, which could be strengthened at the school level. There is a positive, significant direct impact of digital competence and informal learning on computational thinking skills. These findings highlight the need for policymakers to support digital tools that cater to diverse informal and personalized learning needs.