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The results of this study indicated that design-based learning (DBL) improves computational thinking (CT) in a sample of elementary school students. The experiment consisted of participants using the Scratch Program and Creative Computing Guidebook, both developed by the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) media laboratory, for a total of 15 hours. An experimental group and a control group were formed and consisted of fourth to sixth graders. DBL was applied to the experimental group, while a traditional, direct method of teaching was applied to the control group. The experiment was designed to examine several aspects of learning: self-efficacy, self-interest, and self-CT. Moreover, we compared changes in students’ perceptions of computers and analysed differences in students’ responses between the two groups according to each of the steps of DBL. Then, we verified the effects of DBL by examining the progress of each group and the differences between the two groups. At the end of the experiment, we found that both groups showed enhanced self-efficacy, self-interest, and self-CT. However, the experimental group had a greater number of significant positive changes than the control group did in all areas (p < .01). In conclusion, the findings presented herein demonstrated that applying DBL is more effective for improving CT than traditional methodologies are.