ERIC Number: EJ1279146
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1040-9289
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Teacher's Role in Fostering Preschoolers' Computational Thinking: An Exploratory Case Study
Wang, X. Christine; Choi, Youngae; Benson, Keely; Eggleston, Corinne; Weber, Deborah
Early Education and Development, v32 n1 p26-48 2021
Research Findings: Computational thinking (CT), which is defined as the systematic analysis, exploration, and testing of solutions to open-ended and often complex problems, is an important skill to foster in early childhood. However, little is known about teachers' role in fostering CT in early childhood classrooms. To address this gap, we conducted an exploratory case study to investigate how an exemplary teacher supported preschoolers' CT learning in developmentally appropriate ways using an interactive programmable toy. We video recorded 12 weekly sessions of a small group of children and employed a hybrid approach--combining open coding and a priori coding based on standard definitions of CT--to analyze the data. Using one "telling" session to illustrate the findings, we discuss how the teacher employed a range of scaffolding strategies to support CT practices (e.g., problem reformation/decomposition, systematic testing, and debugging) and CT perspectives including communication, collaboration, and perseverance. Practice or Policy: Findings underscore the importance of providing professional support for teachers to engage preschoolers in CT learning.
Descriptors: Teacher Role, Teacher Student Relationship, Preschool Children, Preschool Teachers, Skill Development, Thinking Skills, Developmentally Appropriate Practices, Problem Solving, Troubleshooting, Programming, Robotics, Toys, Scaffolding (Teaching Technique), Modeling (Psychology), Technology Integration, Cooperative Learning, Communication Skills, Persistence
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A