Code to Learn: Where Does It Belong in the K-12 Curriculum?

Abstract

The introduction of computer programming in K-12 has become mainstream in the last years, as countries around the world are making coding part of their curriculum. Nevertheless, there is a lack of empirical studies that investigate how learning to program at an early age affects other school subjects. In this regard, this paper compares three quasi-experimental research designs conducted in three different schools (n=129 students from 2 nd and 6 th grade), in order to assess the impact of introducing programming with Scratch at different stages and in several subjects. While both 6 th grade experimental groups working with coding activities showed a statistically significant improvement in terms of academic performance, this was not the case in the 2 nd grade classroom. Notable disparity was also found regarding the subject in which the programming activities were included, as in social studies the effect size was double that in mathematics.Keywords: elementary education, improving classroom teaching, interdisciplinary projects, programming and programming languages, teaching/learning strategies, computer education, Scratch. IntroductionComputer programming is becoming a basic skill that allows participating effectively in a world full of digital objects (González, 2014), and in recent years we are witnessing initiatives worldwide to promote the teaching of programming in schools. However, there is little consensus about the way programming should be included in the curriculum (Grover & Pea, 2013).The European Schoolnet has elaborated a report where 20 European MinistriesMaterial published as part of this publication, either on-line or in print, is copyrighted by the Informing Science Institute. Permission to make digital or paper copy of part or all of these works for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that the copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage AND that copies 1) bear this notice in full and 2) give the full citation on the first page. It is permissible to abstract these works so long as credit is given. To copy in all other cases or to republish or to post on a server or to redistribute to lists requires specific permission and payment of a fee. Contact Publisher@InformingScience.org to request redistribution permission.Code to Learn: Where Does It Belong in the K-12 Curriculum? 284of Education give an overview of their current initiatives and plans regarding computer programming (Balanskat & Engelhardt, 2015). There are countries where programming is an end in itself, as the focus is on the potential benefits for those who know to program when they enter the labor market. This approach is based on studies that estimate that in the near future there will be a significant shortage of well-trained professionals in this field in Europe (Gareis et al., 2014) and in the US (Cuny, 2012). Some countries have decided to create a new specific subject, while others have included coding in the general ICT/technology course. Other governments are consideri...

Is My Game OK Dr. Scratch?

“…Game design is emerging in modern education for playful and creative learning [35,41,59,62,80]; it is the part of game-based learning [40,77] that leverages constructionism [29,30], and where students construct knowledge by designing digital artifacts [55,61]. We focus on the use of game design as a tool for scholars to teach and learn CT [2,24,28,50,51,85]. Earlier work argued that game design and CT are related and mutually beneficial [2,28], and how game design can lead to effective CT learning [85].…”

“…Moreno-León et al have extensively investigated how game design allows for learning and mastery of CT [49ś52], arguing how early exposure of students to CT may benefit their overall academic performance in the long run [50], and showing how designing games may lead to higher CT mastery compared to other design practices (e.g., design animations) [48]. However, previous work did not look at how CT and its underlying practices (e.g., logic, abstraction) develop as students design games.…”

“…Scratch features a library that contains several premade programming blocks, which can be used to program and design interactive applications, including animations and video games [48]. Scratch is used worldwide by an ever growing online community of users, both in formal education [45,49,50] and extracurricular activities [30].…”

“…Previous work assessing CT in Scratch artifacts showed that the tool allows its users to develop proficiently in CT and easily learn how to program [49,50,52]. However, no previous work has investigated CT development in Scratch artifacts.…”

“…For teaching CT, game-based learning [70,71], particularly game design [2,5,12,13], shows promise. Game design has the benefit of introducing students to CT through creative practices [2,13,18,22,28,39,50,59], and allows them to apply CT concretely while designing and creating digital artifacts [29,30]. For assessing CT, various instruments are being developed, including surveys [10] and tests [8], but finding and validating CT measures that assess CT consistently across different disciplines remains challenging.…”