Computational Thinking for Preschoolers: The Impact of an At-Home Media Intervention

• In Event: Fostering Young Children's Computational Thinking

Abstract

Objective. Researchers and content developers collaborated to investigate how media and hands-on activities can support the development of young children’s computational thinking (CT). This presentation addresses the question: Can parent/child engagement with digital media and hands-on activities improve young children’s computational thinking?

Perspectives. To build a solid basis for problem-solving skills later in life, young children need early experiences both to learn and to practice the prerequisite skills necessary for computational thinking (Bers, 2008; Gelman & Brenneman, 2004). Our project defines CT as a creative way of thinking that empowers children to be systematic problem solvers, enabling them to identify problems and then brainstorm and generate step-by-step solutions that can be communicated and followed by computers or humans. While our collaborative research has identified seven CT Core Ideas for preschoolers, the focus of our current project work focuses on three of those Core Ideas: algorithmic thinking, design process, and debugging process.

Method. In the spring of 2019, researchers conducted an impact study with 108 families (54 intervention and 54 control) who have a 4- or 5-year old child. Families were randomly assigned to view media and do hands-on activities with a CT focus (intervention) or a non-STEM literacy content focus (control group) at home for six weeks.

Data Sources. Parents first completed a pre-survey to capture baseline characteristics of family media habits and understanding, comfort and application of CT Core Ideas. To assess parent use of the intervention and changes in interest and comfort with applying CT, parents completed a post-survey after the six-week period. A small number of intervention group parents also participated in a phone interview to obtain more in-depth feedback on the CT content. After the six-week period, children from both groups were randomly selected for participation in a set of learning tasks (n = 54) to assess how children approached task-based problem-solving activities. Children from the intervention group were also randomly selected to participate in transfer tasks (n = 24) to assess the extent to which any CT skills may have supported their ability to provide code-based instructions to a robotic mouse.

Results. Overall, preliminary analyses indicate that parents have positive impressions of media and hands-on activities designed for families to explore CT with young children, with the majority of parents agreeing (48%) or strongly agreeing (32%) that the videos and activities helped them learn what CT is. Similarly, almost all parents (92%) agreed or strongly agreed that the CT intervention was easy to use and 89% reported they would continue to use the CT intervention beyond the study. Analyses planned for summer 2019 will explore comparisons between parents pre/post perceptions of their children’s CT-related skills and their own comfort engaging in CT learning with their children. Analyses will also examine children’s learning and transfer task performance across intervention and control groups and will examine themes from parent interview transcripts.

Scientific Significance. Findings will build broader knowledge about how to design developmentally appropriate resources promoting CT for preschool children and their parents.

Authors

• Heather Lavigne, Education Development Center, Inc.

• Ashley E. Lewis Presser, Education Development Center, Inc.

• Leslie Cuellar, Education Development Center, Inc.