Effects of Coding Learning on Computational Thinking and Creative Thinking in Young Children: Integrating Cognitive Control Strategies

• In Event: Poster Session 06
  In Poster Session: PS 06 Topic - Technology, Media & Child Development

Abstract

As an important technical literacy in the 21st century, coding education has been gradually integrated into school curriculums to teach young children computational thinking (Heintz et al., 2016; Hsu et al., 2019). During early childhood, cognitive control develops significantly but has not reached maturity (Erb & Marcovitch, 2019; Geng et al., 2018). Previous studies have indicated that teaching young children to use cognitive control strategies benefits learning outcome (Banich, 2009; Mcclelland et al., 2013). The current study aimed to investigate whether integrating cognitive control strategies into coding learning activities has positive impact on learning outcome in young children. We recruited 35 children (mean age = 6.42 years, 5.91 to 7.45 years, 21 males) randomly assigned to experimental group (n = 17, integrating cognitive control strategies) and control group (n = 18, no strategy). Children attended 8 coding learning sessions and each lasted about 1 hour. Each session was started by teaching children new coding skills. Then, children were divided into 6 groups, each of which included 2-3 children. Research assistants presented each group a map with a problem to be solved. Children tried to solve problems by coding through manipulating an educational robot. Cognitive control strategies, including planning, monitoring, and reflection, were provided to experimental group to support problem solving, but were not provided to control group. Children were tested on their coding ability, computational thinking, and creative thinking both before and after the 8 learning sessions. Preliminary analyses showed that after coding learning, both experimental and control groups showed significant changes in overall coding abilities (t (12) = -8.04, p < .001; t (14) = -7.23, p < .001; see the results for each dimension in Table 1). Additionally, experimental group showed marginal difference between pre- and post-test in computational thinking (t (15) = -1.763, p = .098), but the control did not. Both experimental and control groups did not show changes in creative thinking after coding activities. The current study did not show significant changes induced by integrating cognitive control strategies into coding learning activities. However, as our sample size was small and there was trending difference implying that integration cognitive control strategies might have positive effect on the development of computational thinking, further study should be conducted to investigate the effect of cognitive control strategies on the learning outcome of young children.

Authors

• Lin Wang, Zhejiang University
  Presenting Author

• Yan Li, Zhejinag University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Fengji Geng, Zhejiang University College of Education
  Non-Presenting Author