KODAMA Mitsuru

This study examines programming education in the compulsory highschool subject Information I, focusing on the programming languages adopted in authorized textbooks and the Common Test Standard Pseudocode Language used in the National Center Test for UniversityAdmissions. The aim of the study is to clarify an appropriate a pproach to programming language instruction that aligns with the object ives of the subject and the assessment system. In primary education, Scratch is commonly used to develop the foundations of logical thinking through visual and intuitive programming. At the high school level, text-based programming is required to deepen students’understanding of algorithms and data utilization. Python is widely adopted for this purpose due to its simple and readable syntax. In addition, Python shares similarities in notation and structure with the Common Test Standard Pseudocode Language, such as indentation-based block representation. This similarity enables students to acqui re the skills needed for the university entrance examination through regular classroom instruction, without relying heavily on test-oriented learning.The study also addresses the limitations of focusing on the mastery of a specific programming language. In Information I, programming should be regarded not as an end in itself but as a means of developin gproblem-solving abilities and logical thinking skills. Therefor e,programming languages should be positioned as tools for achieving educational goals rather than as objectives of instruction.