TIL-Exploring the Development of K-2 students' Computational Thinking Concepts and Literacy through ScratchJr activities

• In Event: TIL/STC- K-12 Classroom Research and Application (h)

Short Description

With the recent push for computational thinking (CT) at the elementary level, teachers have expressed concern on how to incorporate CT into the elementary curriculum. One suggestion has been to integrate CT into existing elementary curriculum topics, such as literacy. In this study, we piloted the use of ScratchJr, a coding app, to investigate the feasibility of integrating CT in a literacy context in early elementary grades. Using a small pilot group of three female students, we investigated whether ScratchJr could help students revise their writing and gain computational thinking capacities. This pilot study suggests the possibilities around incorporating CT into literacy instruction at early elementary grades to benefit both subjects.

Authors

• Presenter: Jiyoung Kim, Indiana University Bloomington

• Presenter: Anne Ottenbreit-Leftwich, Indiana University

• Presenter: Ai-Chu Ding, Ball State University

• Presenter: Jacob Koressel, Indiana University - Bloomington

• Presenter: Yin-Chan (Janet) Liao, East Carolina University

• Presenter: Katie Jantaraweragul, Indiana University

• Contributor: Meize Guo, Indiana University Bloomington

• Presenter: Ya-Huei Lu, East Carolina University