Test for assessing coding skills in early childhood

This research aims to develop a valid and reliable test to determine the coding skill levels of 5-7 years old children in early childhood. The study sample consists of children aged 5-7 who attend primary and pre-school education institutions affiliated to the Ministry of National Education in Agri and Gaziantep city center in the 2020-2021 academic year. Data were obtained from 308 children, 101 of whom were five years old, 100 were six years old, and 107 were seven. As a data collection tool in research, the "Personal Information Form" containing personal information about children and their parents and the "Early Childhood Coding Skills Assessment Test" developed by the researcher to evaluate the coding skill levels of 5-7-year-old children were used. In the validity analysis to determine the test's validity and reliability, content-structure validity, criterion-based validity analysis, similar scale compatibility validity, tetrachoric factor analysis, and item difficulty analysis; In the reliability analysis, KR-20 reliability analysis was used. As a result of the findings obtained from the research, the "Early Childhood Coding Skills Assessment Test" is a valid and reliable measurement tool that can be used to determine the skill levels of 5-7-year-old children unplugged coding and robotic coding

Computer Programming Effects in Elementary: Perceptions and Career Aspirations in STEM

The development of elementary-aged students’ STEM and computer science (CS) literacy is critical in this evolving technological landscape, thus, promoting success for college, career, and STEM/CS professional paths. Research has suggested that elementary- aged students need developmentally appropriate STEM integrated opportunities in the classroom; however, little is known about the potential impact of CS programming and how these opportunities engender positive perceptions, foster confidence, and promote perseverance to nurture students’ early career aspirations related to STEM/CS. The main purpose of this mixed-method study was to examine elementary-aged students’ (N = 132) perceptions of STEM, career choices, and effects from pre- to post-test intervention of CS lessons (N = 183) over a three-month period. Findings included positive and significant changes from students’ pre- to post-tests as well as augmented themes from 52 student interviews to represent increased enjoyment of CS lessons, early exposure, and its benefits for learning to future careers

Characteristics and problems of unplugged computer science curriculum for young children: comparative and practical research based on the curriculum in four countries

With the progress of computer science education in recent years, more and more educators have brought attention to computer science education among young children. Among all these strategies, the unplugged form has been shown to be more effective in teaching. However, recent studies have focused more on the impact of unplugged computer science courses on young children and less on whether these courses are appropriate for the developmental stage of young children. Therefore, this research summarized the curriculum characteristics by comparing different series of unplugged courses for young children from four nations. Then, in a 7-day workshop conducted in China\u27s urban areas, we explored the issues that arise in the implementation of these courses. This research reveals that, although the existing courses cater to a young age range, four issues can still be found, including difficulty, ability difference, too much cooperation, and emphasis on abstraction. Some of these issues may be handled by instructors, while others need consideration of the connection between curriculum design and the physical and cognitive development levels of young children. Furthermore, this research explored the acceptance of unplugged computer science among Chinese young children as well as its impact on their computational thinking level, achieving positive results

Computational Thinking in Education: Where does it fit? A systematic literary review

Computational Thinking (CT) has been described as an essential skill which everyone should learn and can therefore include in their skill set. Seymour Papert is credited as concretising Computational Thinking in 1980 but since Wing popularised the term in 2006 and brought it to the international community's attention, more and more research has been conducted on CT in education. The aim of this systematic literary review is to give educators and education researchers an overview of what work has been carried out in the domain, as well as potential gaps and opportunities that still exist. Overall it was found in this review that, although there is a lot of work currently being done around the world in many different educational contexts, the work relating to CT is still in its infancy. Along with the need to create an agreed-upon definition of CT lots of countries are still in the process of, or have not yet started, introducing CT into curriculums in all levels of education. It was also found that Computer Science/Computing, which could be the most obvious place to teach CT, has yet to become a mainstream subject in some countries, although this is improving. Of encouragement to educators is the wealth of tools and resources being developed to help teach CT as well as more and more work relating to curriculum development. For those teachers looking to incorporate CT into their schools or classes then there are bountiful options which include programming, hands-on exercises and more. The need for more detailed lesson plans and curriculum structure however, is something that could be of benefit to teachers

Computational Thinking: In-Service Elementary Teachers Developing Knowledge, Understanding, And Confidence

Computers infiltrate almost every aspect of our lives, including our homes and cars. For work, education, or personal fulfillment, computing has increased dramatically. The need for an educated workforce is expanding as technology devices become smaller, faster, and more powerful. We can teach students how to use math, logic, and computational thinking, a problem-solving process that allows the functionality of computing devices as part of innovative solutions. Teachers who receive professional development and resources to incorporate computational thinking can enhance problem-solving activities in all curriculum areas. Different instructional methods support the knowledge for problem-solving processes using computational thinking. Strategies to implement computational thinking in all subject areas are critical to pedagogical success. Providing teachers professional development for ongoing in-service is an area for future research

How can second-grade students learn algorithmic thinking and pattern recognition through collaborative learning?

In today’s technology-filled world, employers seek applicants with strong computational thinking (CT) skills and computer science (CS) backgrounds. The demand for CT education reaches all the way to the elementary level. Wing (2006) states “computational thinking is a fundamental skill for everyone, not just for computer scientists” (p. 33). Though researchers are continuing to define all aspects of CT, the major elements include: algorithmic thinking, pattern recognition, decomposition, and abstraction. The digital age has also caused an increase in screen time, time children spend in front of a device, which has prompted studies on the negative physical and psychological effects it can have on children. Scoggin (2018) explains that school students are demonstrating a lack of social skills due to increased screen time in the classroom. As a response to this research, this capstone builds on relevant studies and provides a unit of lessons to answer the question: How can second-grade students learn algorithmic thinking and pattern recognition through collaborative learning? The detailed project includes cooperative activities and assessments to teach CT skills without the use of devices

The Big Why of Implementing Computational Thinking In STEM Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Computational Thinking (CT) has been increasingly embraced as a reformation in STEM education. This paper discusses why the implementation of CT would have a considerable effect on STEM education. The first objective of this systematic literature review is to identify the subjects that incorporate the most elements of CT in STEM education. Secondly, it aims to provide an overview of CT practices in the classrooms. Finally, the major findings of this study seek to discuss the benefits and challenges of the use of CT in STEM education. Fifteen articles were methodically selected from Scopus, Web of Science, Dimensions, and Google Scholar databases as the relevant studies to be discussed in this systematic study, based on the PRISMA Statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) review technique. This review identifies current research gaps and directions for the practice and implementation of CT in STEM education. Further analysis of the articles has contributed to a conclusion that CT has become more widespread and multi-disciplinary and seems to have propagated improvements in STEM education. Still, a new study is required, especially on long-term implications

KNITTING CODE: EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KNITTING AND COMPUTATIONAL THINKING SKILLS USING THE NEXUS OF PRACTICE

Due to the rise of careers in STEM-related fields, there is a growing need for schools to produce people to fill these positions. One area of STEM that is growing is computer science/coding. Due to this demand, schools need to be intentional about exposing students to computer science/coding. There are a variety of new tools to introduce students to this field. One growing belief is that knitting can teach computer science/coding to students. The goal of this study was to see if knitting can serve as an introduction to teach students computation skills. Kitting has historically been used to code information, and numerous statements have been made that knitting can teach computer coding. The rationale behind this thought is that both fields have similar components and can serve to make coding more accessible to a broader audience. Suppose students that generally would not identify with computer science/coding due to perceived social norms develop an interest in knitting. In that case, they could use what they learned as a foundation to develop an interest in computer coding. This is based on Scollon\u27s Nexus of Practice (2001), which studies how practices are linked together. This theory believes that combining different practices makes a possible crossover from one practice to another. As a result, what may not have been accessible at first due to biases or identity, may become more accessible. This study will focus on whether knitting can teach students computational skills and change students’ identity towards computer science/coding. There is limited research on the relationship between knitting and coding. This case study attempted to determine if knitting could teach coding. The research was conducted during two three-week summer enrichment programs. Results revealed that teaching computer coding through knitting was comparable to traditional instruction. While not necessarily better, this shows that knitting can teach computation skills and improve identity. This could be important for encouraging students that would not typically study computer science/coding to enter the field