Learning computer science (CS) is increasingly becoming a necessary component of K-12 education, but in most cases, teachers do not have either the essential knowledge to teach or a curriculum to follow. In this article, we analyze the outcomes from a yearlong, blended professional development (PD) program to teach teachers game design and coding…

Coding tools that use blocks to create programs are popular among kids and play a key role in learning how to code. The effectiveness of the coding courses that are available nowadays depends on how well the tools match the students' needs. The aim of this study is to reveal the impact of digital game design-supported coding education with Scratch…

Digital games have become more involved in our lives and entertainment culture with the development of technology. Digital games, which individuals of all ages play and derive great enjoyment from at the the same time, have been actively used in educational activities. However, it is seen that the games used in the education process are mostly…

This study aimed to identify and rank the serious game fidelity themes that should be considered for retaining both the learning potential and predicted market growth of serious games. The authors also investigated existing links between fidelity and AI. The methodology unraveled serious game fidelity through the co-development of a theory- and…

This article uses a lens of procedural literacies to theorize youth practices of digital game-playing, modification, and creation as digital writing. The concept of procedurality describes the ways that videogames and other digital media are composed of systems of processes--computational or otherwise, which define these artifacts in form,…

An educational computer game is presented, used for beginner students to introduce some basic concepts of code execution and code writing. In this mini-language microworld game, a code should be written with which a robot can escape from a procedurally generated labyrinth. The game uses a simple language and utilizes a virtual environment, where…

In this paper, we discuss the need for new approaches to research regarding coding to support students in developing practices in computational thinking, such as abstraction and decomposition, in multidisciplinary contexts. We explore students' activities with a tool integrating constructionist textual programming activity with game-based learning…

A typical first computer science course (CS1) introduces the student to coding conventions, variables, methods, control structures, conditionals, and the semantics of classes and objects. Advanced concepts of inheritance, polymorphism, abstract classes, interfaces, and their use in the design process, are covered in a second-level course (CS2).…

The purpose of this research was to describe the impact of digital game building on fourth grade gifted and talented students' problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration skills. Increasingly, there has been a call to involve students in real-world experiences through projects that explore authentic issues using technology. Game design-based…

Computational thinking--a set of mental and cognitive tools applied to problem solving--is a fundamental skill that all of us (and not just computer scientists) draw on. Educators have found that computational thinking enhances learning across a range of subjects and reinforces students' abilities in reading, writing, and arithmetic. This book…

Using unplugged coding activities to promote computational thinking (CT) among secondary learners has become increasingly popular. Benefits of using unplugged coding activities involve the cost-effective implementation, the ability to promote computer science concepts and self-efficacy in learning computer programming, and the engaging nature of…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the ways in which early adolescent programmers embed meaning in their digital media created within an online programming community called Scratch. Design/methodology/approach: The author completed an 18-month descriptive case study with 5 early adolescent participants. The research design included a…

In 2012, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) revised its position statement regarding the appropriate use of technology in early childhood classrooms. The increased accessibility of touch screens on tablets and smart phones led to this revision, which moves the conversation from the question of "When shall we…

This article is a commentary essay that uses the connected learning framework (Ito et al., 2013) as a lens to explore the relationship between making, coding, and critical literacy in the context of literacy teacher education. Critical literacy theorists have argued that it is important to understand the perspective and positionality of an author…

This book has been prepared to introduce common technological tools that can be used in science education in the distance education process. Although most of the applications introduced in the book are used in face-to-face education, this book focuses on their use in the distance science education process. In the Introduction part of the book, the…