<![CDATA[This systematic literature review examined the potential of Scratch as a visual programming environment for strengthening students’ analytical thinking in information and communication technology (ICT) education, particularly logical reasoning, problem decomposition, and evaluative judgment. Although previous research has widely investigated technical competence, engagement, creativity, and computational thinking, analytical thinking has rarely been treated as the primary learning outcome. Following the PRISMA protocol, searches of Scopus and ScienceDirect identified 1,381 records. After applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 16 peer-reviewed studies published in English between 2020 and 2025 were included in the qualitative synthesis. The findings indicate that Scratch’s visual, block-based interface helps learners understand programming concepts, construct logical sequences, decompose complex problems, test alternatives, and evaluate solutions through iterative design. Scratch-based activities also encourage active participation, experimentation, creativity, feedback, and revision, thereby supporting higher-order cognitive development. The review contributes a structured account of how Scratch can be positioned not merely as an introductory coding tool but as a medium for cultivating analytical thinking. However, restricting the search to two databases, English-language publications, and the 2020–2025 period may have excluded relevant international evidence. The findings support systematically integrating Scratch into primary and secondary ICT curricula, especially beginner-level programming, through tasks that explicitly combine problem decomposition, logical reasoning, solution comparison, debugging, reflection, and iterative improvement. Such integration should be accompanied by teacher guidance and assessment strategies that capture reasoning processes rather than focusing exclusively on functional program completion or technical accuracy.]]>
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