Rapid mental computation system as a tool for algorithmic thinking of elementary school students development

In this paper, we describe the possibilities of using a rapid mental computation system in elementary education. The system consists of a number of readily memorized operations that allow one to perform arithmetic computations very quickly. These operations are actually simple algorithms which can develop or improve the algorithmic thinking of pupils. Using a rapid mental computation system allows forming the basis for the study of computer science in secondary school

A New Dimension of Learning in Higher Education: Algorithmic Thinking

The relevance of this article is due to the need to form and develop algorithmic thinking of higher education students as the main requirement of the information society following 21st century skills and competences for new millennium learners. The purpose of the article is to consider algorithmic thinking as a new dimension of learning in higher education. The leading approach to the study of this problem is the analysis of methodological literature, and the experience of students, teachers, and academic staff. The article considers the essence, main properties, and characteristics of algorithmic thinking, suggests the universal sequence of algorithm development and model of algorithmic thinking as well as determines its importance for any subjects outside the information and communications technology area. The materials of the article can be useful for lecturers, professors, and other academic staff of universities and institutes when studying any subjects related to the basic and professional training of students

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

Beyond jam sandwiches and cups of tea: An exploration of primary pupils' algorithm‐evaluation strategies

The long-standing debate into the potential benefit of developing mathematical thinking skills through learning to program has been reignited with the widespread introduction of programming in schools across many countries, including England where it is a statutory requirement for all pupils to be taught programming from five years old. Algorithm is introduced early in the English computing curriculum, yet, there is limited knowledge of how young pupils view this concept. This paper explores pupils’ (aged 10-11) understandings of algorithm following their engagement with one year of ScratchMaths (SM), a curriculum designed to develop computational and mathematical thinking skills through learning to program. 181 pupils from six schools undertook a set of written tasks to assess their interpretations and evaluations of different algorithms that solve the same problem, with a subset of these pupils subsequently interviewed to probe their understandings in greater depth. We discuss the different approaches identified, the evaluation criteria they used and the aspects of the concept that pupils found intuitive or challenging, such as simplification and abstraction. The paper ends with some reflections on the implications of the research, concluding with a set of recommendations for pedagogy in developing primary pupils’ algorithmic thinking

Defining Procedures in Early Computing Education

From the early years of educational programming researchers considered procedural abstraction a key instrument of computational thinking and tried to understand the cognitive difficulties encountered through this concept. Defining procedures is promoted in renewed computing curricula in several countries. And yet, it is rarely acknowledged by more recent educational research. In this paper, we consider the fact that the delayed implementation of a mechanism for building procedures (known as definitions) within Scratch, a widely used programming environment for children, may have negatively impacted the focus within curricular content on this powerful idea. In our research, which is a part of a broader ScratchMaths (SM) research project, we set out to explore which factors play a role in upper primary pupils understanding and utilizing the concept of defining procedures as a common and inherent instrument of their programming. We present our observations from the project design schools and demonstrate how they guided the development of our SM pedagogic strategy for definitions

Smart rogaining for computer science orientation

In this paper, we address the problem of designing new formats of computer science orientation activities to be offered during high school students internships in Computer Science Bachelor degrees. In order to cover a wide range of computer science topics as well to deal with soft skills and gender gap issues, we propose a teamwork format, called smart rogaining, that offer engaging introductory activities to prospective students in a series of checkpoints dislocated along the different stages of a rogaine. The format is supported by a smart mobile and web application. Our proposal is aimed at stimulating the interest of participants in different areas of computer science and at improving digital and soft skills of participants and, as a side effect, of staff members (instructors and university students). In the paper, we introduce the proposed format and discuss our experience in the editions organized at the University of Genoa before the COVID-19 pandemic (2019 and 2020 waves)

Smart rogaining for computer science orientation

In this paper, we address the problem of designing new formats of computer science orientation activities to be offered during high school students internships in Computer Science Bachelor degrees. In order to cover a wide range of computer science topics as well to deal with soft skills and gender gap issues, we propose a teamwork format, called smart rogaining, that offer engaging introductory activities to prospective students in a series of checkpoints dislocated along the different stages of a rogaine. The format is supported by a smart mobile and web application. Our proposal is aimed at stimulating the interest of participants in different areas of computer science and at improving digital and soft skills of participants and, as a side effect, of staff members (instructors and university students). In the paper, we introduce the proposed format and discuss our experience in the editions organized at the University of Genoa before the COVID-19 pandemic (2019 and 2020 waves)

Istraživanje postignuća i motivacije učenja tekstualnoga programskog jezika među učenicima osnovnih škola u Republici Srbiji

The introduction of Informatics and Computing as a compulsory subject for students from the fifth to the eighth grade of elementary school, and programming as a basic content of the curriculum represents a major advancement in elementary education in the Republic of Serbia. In this study we conducted research on 58 primary school students in the sixth grade. In the 2016/17 school year, students studied the programming language Scratch, and in the school year 2017/18, they learned the Python programming language. The programming courses took place once a week (45 minutes) over 17 weeks. This study aimed to monitor the flow of learning visual and textual programming language following the new elementary school curriculum in Republic of Serbia, that is, the achievement and motivation of students to continue learning programming. The research instrument used was a questionnaire. The results of this study showed that it was easier for students to master the visual programming language Scratch than the textual programming language Python. However, the research results show that algorithmic way of thinking and motivation to learn by programming a text language are satisfactory, given that students have not had previous experience with it.Uvođenje informatike i računarstva kao obveznoga predmeta za učenike od petog do osmog razreda osnovne škole te programiranja kao osnovnoga sadržaja kurikula predstavlja veliki iskorak u osnovnom obrazovanju u Republici Srbiji. U ovom radu provodeno je istraživanje na N = 58 učenika osnovnih škola šestog razreda. U školskoj godini 2016./17. učenici su učili programski jezik Scratch, a u školskoj godini 2017./18. učili su programski jezik Python. Tečajevi programiranja realizirali su se jednom tjedno (45 minuta) tijekom 17 tjedana. Cilj je ove studije pratiti tijek učenja vizualnoga i tekstualnoga programskog jezika sljedeći novi OŠ kurikul u Republici Srbiji te istražiti postignuće i motivaciju učenika za nastavak učenja programiranja. Korišteni istraživački instrument bio je upitnik. Rezultati ovoga istraživanja pokazali su da je učenicima bilo lakše svladati vizualni programski jezik Scratch nego tekstualni programski jezik Python. Međutim, rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da su algoritamski način razmišljanja i motivacija za učenje programiranjem tekstualnoga jezika zadovoljavajući s obzirom na to da učenici s tim nisu imali prethodno iskustvo