Coding is a process often associated with computers. Nevertheless, coding is a thought process that can be mastered even without a computer. In NSW, primary students are introduced to computational and algorithmic thinking as early as Stage 1. Yet, teaching coding to young students is not always easy for teachers, mostly because the process is…

Computational thinking can be defined as "solving problems, designing systems, and understanding human behaviour, by drawing on the concepts fundamental to computer science" (Wing, 2006, p. 33). There are strong links between computational thinking associated with coding and mathematical thinking (Wing, 2006). The digital technologies…

Television, like other media, can work as a platform for promoting learning. This article illustrates the value of multimodal discourse analysis for evaluating the potential of a children's television show as a vehicle for fostering knowledge and skills in a specific subject area. Drawing on social semiotic principles and systemic functional genre…

Video Self-Modelling (VSM) and Video Peer-Modelling (VPM) have proved effective when teaching pro-social behaviours to students with disability, individually and during whole-class instruction. In Victoria, Australia, this has been achieved in specialist schools using a television programme known as meTV. This study examined the application of…

Building on the author's previous work on Australian national cinema and schooling, this article explores the representation of the female primary school teacher in the television mini-series entitled "Marion" (Australian Broadcasting Commission, 1974). Using narrative analysis, it argues that this representation is disruptive of…

This research is part of a larger three-year study investigating the impact of humanoid robots on students' learning and engagement. In this case study, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students worked with a humanoid robot to develop, in parallel, both their programming skills and their understanding of the traditional Narungga language and culture.…

Cross-curricula opportunities afforded by STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education), supports an environment where students can develop twenty-first century competencies. One approach to addressing cross-curricula opportunities in STEM education is the introduction of computer science (computer…

Learning mathematics is a complex and dynamic process. In this paper, the authors adopt a semiotic framework (Yeh & Nason, 2004) and highlight programming as one of the main aspects of the semiosis or meaning-making for the learning of mathematics. During a 10- week teaching experiment, mathematical meaning-making was enriched when primary…

With the current curriculum focus on correlating classroom problem solving lessons to real-world contexts, are LEGO robotics an effective problem solving tool? This present study was designed to investigate this question and to ascertain what problem solving strategies primary students engaged with when working with LEGO robotics and whether the…