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"Computer programming Study and teaching (Elementary)"
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Changing a Generation's Way of Thinking: Teaching Computational Thinking Through Programming
Computational thinking (CT) uses concepts that are essential to computing and information science to solve problems, design and evaluate complex systems, and understand human reasoning and behavior. This way of thinking has important implications in computer sciences as well as in almost every other field. Therefore, we contend that CT should be taught in elementary schools and included in every university's educational curriculum. Several studies that measure the impact of teaching programming, analytical thinking, and CT have been conducted. In this review, we analyze and discuss findings from these studies and highlight the importance of learning programming with a focus on the development of CT skills at a young age. We also describe the tools that are available to improve the teaching of CT and provide a state-of-the-art overview of how programming is being taught at schools and universities in Colombia and around the world.
Journal Article
A K-6 Computational Thinking Curriculum Framework: Implications for Teacher Knowledge
Adding computer science as a separate school subject to the core K-6 curriculum is a complex issue with educational challenges. The authors herein address two of these challenges: (1) the design of the curriculum based on a generic computational thinking framework, and (2) the knowledge teachers need to teach the curriculum. The first issue is discussed within a perspective of designing an authentic computational thinking curriculum with a focus on real-world problems. The second issue is addressed within the framework of technological pedagogical content knowledge explicating in detail the body of knowledge that teachers need to have to be able to teach computational thinking in a K-6 environment. An example of how these ideas can be applied in practice is also given. While it is recognized there is a lack of adequate empirical evidence in terms of the effectiveness of the frameworks proposed herein, it is expected that our knowledge and research base will dramatically increase over the next several years, as more countries around the world add computer science as a separate school subject to their K-6 curriculum.
Journal Article
Engaging children in developing algorithmic thinking and debugging skills in primary schools: A mixed-methods multiple case study
This study examined the developmental process of children’s computational thinking using block-based programming tools, specifically algorithmic thinking and debugging skills. With this aim, a group of children
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191)
from two primary schools were studied for two years beginning from the fourth grade, as they engaged in our block-based programming curriculum in their primary schools. A mixed-methods multiple case study was designed with pre- and posttests, classroom observations and postintervention interviews. The statistical results showed that students’ algorithmic thinking and debugging skills significantly increased through our intervention, with girls gaining more on algorithmic thinking. During the students’ learning process, we found that they demonstrated behavioral, affective, and cognitive engagement while acquiring these skills in schools. This study presents the key to student engagement contributing to the process of computational thinking development, with implications for the design of future computational learning in primary school.
Journal Article
Pair programming with scratch
This paper examines the effectiveness of programming in pairs in the Scratch environment in primary school. The motivation for tackling this issue is based on the successful use of Scratch as a learning environment for any students of programming. The analysis has shown that that programming in pairs produces better results for beginners in comparison to programming as an individual student. The obtained results are in a positive correlation with the students’ general school success and show that there are no differences in achievement between boys and girls. The Scratch environment has allowed learning to become more interesting, more challenging and more creative.
Journal Article
SSPOT-VR: An immersive and affordable mobile application for supporting K-12 students in learning programming concepts
High-resolution displays on mobile devices, accurate motion sensors, and efficient mobile processors have taken virtual reality (VR), essentially employed in laboratory, to everyday environments, including homes, workplaces, and classrooms. Regarding programming education, it has been investigated in conjunction with various educational strategies, such as block-based programming (BBP), metaphors, and storytelling. However, studies that adopt VR predominantly employ high-end head-mounted displays (HMDs) and powerful computers to deliver interactive and immersive learning experiences. Conversely, investigations involving mobile platforms and low-cost HMDs often lack user interactivity. Towards filling that gap, this study introduces SSPOT-VR (Space Station for Programming Training in Virtual Reality), a cost-effective solution tailored for children and teenagers that integrates interactive methods for the teaching and learning of programming concepts and the simulated experience of an immersive digitally created world. Three surveys, namely
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and
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, involving SSPOT-VR and K-12 students were conducted.
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focused on user acceptance (
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124
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16
) and
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centered on knowledge retention (
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31
). The results indicate students are inclined to accept SSPOT-VR as a valuable educational tool, since it effectively facilitates the retention of programming knowledge through its engaging and interactive learning experiences. By choosing more cost-effective equipment, this research supports the existing body of knowledge while also providing a detailed description of how an effective solution is designed, developed, and used. The approach enhances both affordability and potential applications of immersive VR in programming education.
Journal Article
Employing large language models to enhance K-12 students' programming debugging skills, computational thinking, and self-efficacy
The introduction of programming education in K-12 schools to promote computational thinking has attracted a great deal of attention from scholars and educators. Debugging code is a central skill for students, but is also a considerable challenge when learning to program. Learners at the K-12 level often lack confidence in programming debugging due to a lack of effective learning feedback and programming fundamentals (e.g., correct syntax usage). With the development of technology, large language models (LLMs) provide new opportunities for novice programming debugging training. We proposed a method for incorporating an LLM into programming debugging training, and to test its validity, 80 K-12 students were selected to participate in a quasi-experiment with two groups to test its effectiveness. The results showed that through dialogic interaction with the model, students were able to solve programming problems more effectively and improve their ability to solve problems in real-world applications. Importantly, this dialogic interaction increased students' confidence in their programming abilities, thus allowing them to maintain motivation for programming learning.
Journal Article
Integrating the unplugged programming and storytelling strategy to enhance second graders' programming learning motivation and concepts
An intervention using the unplugged programming and storytelling (UPS) strategy was implemented in this study to cultivate students' programming learning motivation and concepts. The participants were 49 second graders at a primary school in southern Taiwan. The course was conducted for 12 lessons (40 min each lesson). A quasi-experimental design was employed in this study. During the course, students in the experimental group were taught using the UPS strategy. Data collection included the Programming Concept Test and Programming Learning Motivation Scale supplemented by classroom observation and interview data. The results revealed that the experimental group outperformed the comparison group in programming learning motivation and concepts after the course with the UPS strategy. This teaching experiment obtained large effect sizes. Interviews showed that students perceived positively, which helped them develop their programming concepts. The implication is that the UPS strategy may contribute to primary school programming courses.
Journal Article
The impact of computer science education in primary schools: Evidence from a randomized controlled trial in Iraq
With the growing digitization of society, there is a need to enhance computational thinking as an indispensable skill for modern daily life. Consequently, computer science education for children at early ages has become increasingly important. This study conducts a randomized controlled trial to examine the impact of the interventions using educational robotics as well as computer-aided mathematics drills (via a “math app”) on students’ performance in primary schools in Basra, Iraq. We provide several new empirical findings. First, the short-run impact of robotics-based learning on computational thinking is positive and statistically significant for girls, particularly poor performing girls, but not for boys. Second, the impact on computational thinking is augmented by introducing a math app, further improving computational thinking. Together, these two interventions also enhance general intelligence. Third, the positive impact was still evident more than three months after the interventions for girls who received both computer science and math education, suggesting their complementarity. Our results show that computer science education using educational robots in primary schools is effective in enhancing computational thinking and relevant skills.
Journal Article