To reduce the lag between highly visual texts in elementary classrooms and a lack of emphasis on visual literacy in teacher preparation, this study explored preservice teachers' coding in the design of a visually-enhanced digital book. A qualitative case study shaped the research design and data collection, including ten digital book artifacts and…

Coding and computational thinking are being hailed as the new literacy for the twenty-first century, and have become increasingly common in schools world-wide. At the same time, the sector is facing a global shortage of technology teachers, and technology lessons are frequently being delivered by non-specialist teachers. Therefore, some have…

The United States is home to a culturally and linguistically diverse population of young children. In 2017, 10% of U.S. learners came from homes where languages other than English are spoken. Students who are learning English in addition to their native language(s) have the opportunity to become bilingual or multilingual in school. Thus, rather…

This study aims to evaluate the trend and frequency of coding/programming activities in Information Technology (IT) courses, according to different parameters. The study was conducted through a survey of a private IT (Information Technology) teachers in different levels (like primary, secondary, and high schools), with questions focusing on the…

Despite the benefits of teaching computational thinking (CT) and applying coding tools in schools, many teachers feel unprepared to use these technologies. Hence, we introduced CT concepts and coding tools to pre-service teachers (n=36; 17 in online class and 19 in in-person class), equipping them with digital competencies through activities with…

Background and Context: Despite the increasing implementation of coding in early curricula, there are few valid and reliable assessments of coding abilities for young children. This impedes studying learning outcomes and the development and evaluation of curricula. Objective: Developing and validating a new instrument for assessing young…

Aim/Purpose: This paper presents findings on a curricular intervention aimed at integrating computer programming with reading and writing in early elementary school. The purpose of this research was to explore the relation between students' varying literacy levels and their level of success in mastering an introductory programming language.…

Making and maker spaces have attracted increasing attention as potential sites for supporting K-12 student learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and as a means of competency development for computational and design thinking as well as technological literacy. While interest in making and maker spaces is high, little…

To investigate the effects that experiences in programming have on parents' concerns about programming education in elementary schools, a survey was carried out before and after parent-children workshops. Participation in the programming workshops seemed to promote parents' understanding of programming, boost their expectations, and decrease their…

The Computer Science Teachers Association has asserted that computational thinking equips students with essential critical thinking which allows them to conceptualize, analyze, and solve more complex problems. These skills are applicable to all content area as students learn to use strategies, ideas, and technological practices more effectively as…

Digital technology offers new possibilities for children to play, express themselves, learn, and communicate. A recent development in online practice is a shift toward youth engaged in computer programming online communities. Programming is argued to be the new literacy of the millennium. In this article, I examine the use of Scratch, an online…

The research examined the nature and scope of e-portfolio reflective writing by primary pre-service teachers about their classroom implementation of information and communication technologies. Familiar and new technologies require a teacher to be able to confidently identify the pedagogical potential for effective learning and teaching. With the…

Right to Play's Plug-in-Play (PIP) project in Rwanda aims to enhance Science and Elementary Technology (SET) education through playful and interactive methods. This study, conducted by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) and Three Stones International (TSI), explores the implementation of learning through play with technology…

There is a growing population of English language learners (ELLs) in elementary schools across the United States, and a current academic achievement gap between ELLs and non-ELLs. Researchers have found that integration of Web 2.0 tools has benefitted ELLs in language learning settings, outside of the general classroom. The research problem…

Preparing pre-service teachers to effectively integrate technology in the classroom requires rich experiences that deepen their knowledge of technology, pedagogy, and content and the intersection of these aspects. This study examined elementary education pre-service teachers' development of skills and knowledge in a technology integration course…