BLINDED PROGRAM in Schools: Teacher-Identified Opportunities for Computational Thinking in Play

• In Event: Reclaiming Possibility: Educators Building Learning Futures with Culture, Care, and Play

Abstract

Computational thinking (CT) has emerged as a fundamental literacy with problem-solving skills applicable across disciplines (Wing, 2006). Playful learning environments have demonstrated transformative potential in STEM education by enhancing student engagement, accessibility, and learning outcomes (Hirsh-Pasek et al., 2020). As such, school playgrounds represent underutilized spaces where CT concepts can be explored through embodied learning. Teacher insights are critical for effective design and implementation of such learning environments, as educators bring firsthand knowledge of student needs and contextual expertise (Könings et al., 2014) that yield solutions better tailored to classroom realities (Penuel et al., 2007).

This study investigates how educators conceptualize school playgrounds as environments for CT development, addressing two questions: (1) What learning values and opportunities do educators associate with playgrounds, particularly for technology-enhanced skill development? (2) How do educators envision technology supporting these play-based learning values? Participants included six educators from the Santa Ana Unified School District, comprising Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten teachers, three of whom specialized in special education. None had prior computational thinking experience. The group represented diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds, including White, Latiné, and Asian educators.

This study utilized the Value Sensitive Design (VSD) approach, a strength-based methodology that incorporates stakeholders' values into technology design (Friedman et al., 2017). Teachers participated in two all-day professional development sessions, each lasting six hours. The first session began with reflections on CT, artificial intelligence, and technology, followed by identifying learning values for students. Participants engaged in unplugged CT activities to recognize thinking processes applicable to children and observed playground play to map existing practices to their values. The second session involved collaborative design of an imaginative tech-based playground prototype embodying their defined values. For analysis, researchers conducted inductive thematic analysis of transcripts and prototypes to identify themes related to learning values, play, and technology interactions (Saldaña, 2014). Two researchers initially coded a subset of transcripts to establish reliability; two additional researchers coded the remaining data.

Findings reveal that educators perceive playgrounds as vital spaces for relationship building and peer collaboration, where imaginative scenarios (e.g., pretend kitchens or grocery stores requiring role negotiation) and creative group play (e.g., inventing game rules like Red Light Green Light) foster cooperation, communication, and conflict resolution. Simultaneously, technology could amplify these social dynamics by preserving child agency through customizable tools (e.g., programmable robots directed via simple commands), ensuring accessibility (e.g., sensory-friendly calming stations), and structuring collaborative play (e.g., interactive challenges requiring distinct player roles). For instance, educators designed a community role-play scenario where children used interactive technology (e.g., control panels linking restaurants, fire departments) to practice collaboration through simulated civic interactions. This approach preserved child-directed play while structuring cooperative problem-solving, aligning with their vision of technology-enhanced social learning.

Educators' insights demonstrate how computationally enhanced playgrounds can simultaneously strengthen classroom-developed relational skills and introduce foundational CT concepts through social play. Additionally, their insight highlights the need for technology integration to enhance, not disrupt, child-directed social interactions that cultivate collaborative skills, while prioritizing inclusive designs for diverse learners.

Authors

• Leiny Yesenia Garcia, Duke University

• Jessica Blake-West, Boston College

• June Ahn, University of California - Irvine

• Andres Sebastian Bustamante, University of California - Irvine