Teaching Coding in K-12: A Review

Experiential Learning

As this class draws to an end, there are many elements of it that I am still reflecting on and absorbing.   In particular, I've been thinking about my own experience and how helpful I found experiential learning to be.  Because of this, I have to consider how learning to code is an experiential form of learning for students.  According to Boakes (2019), "experiential learning, like a problem-based learning approach, allows students to learn science through authentic, real-life situations...Benefits of such an approach have been seen in research with learners showing more motivation, interest and gains..." (p. 245).

Motivation has been an interest of mine as we explored the different modules in this class.  I understand what motivates me as a learner, but was never confident in motivating students.  Learning about (and experiencing) experiential and hands-on learning has given me something to explore to encourage motivated learners.

Benefits of Digital Literacy and Different Processes

 One of my biggest takeaways this semester has been on the importance and versatility of teaching students digital literacy, computational thinking, and the design process.  As with an "literacy" (including information literacy, a favorite of mine), the importance of this skill is that it teaches students to think critically and explore many different avenues to find a solution.  

One study, which considers the teaching of young students to use computational thinking to be a pursuit of "21st century skills" says the following:

Designing and making digital games, this prior research suggests, can provide an ideal framework for operationalizing 21st century learning: creating digital artifacts entails technical, computational and aesthetic forms of activity whose success depends on bridging between arts and sciences -- an intersection increasingly characteristic of the contemporary job market and effective participation in social life. (Jenson & Droumeva, 2019, p. 111).

Not surprisingly, given the importance of critical thinking, studies like this show that using computational thinking can not only help students learn useful and necessary skills for future job opportunities, but also necessary skills for learning to socialize in a digital age.

Tools for Getting Started

Learning to teach students about coding can be as easy or difficult as a teacher wants to make it.  Depending on the age and skill level of both the students and the teacher, there are tools available.  There is no need to re-create the wheel!  Some of my favorite tools have been the different types of block coding we tried out.

Some tools or packages, like any number of robot packages, can even help students learn about how coding is scaffolded with many other fields, like different types of engineering and mechanics.  Especially once the students are in the work force, or even in college for some programs, they may be expected to write codes or programs and work in a multi-disciplinary team.  One interesting program I read about recently had computer science students working with students in fields we might consider unrelated, such as marketing management.  The assessment of the program suggested higher efficiency, more creativity, and even that students were invested in learning from each other (Tan & Vicente, 2019).  With tools already available, all that's needed is students with different backgrounds and interests to learn from each other!

 

"Robots..." by jeffedoe is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

 

Some other resources I have been exploring include eBooks available through my library, such as Python Projects for Kids.  Not only do teachers have tools at their fingertips, there are projects already available to get the ball rolling.

In the Future

With the fast pace of changes in technology, it's hard to imagine what the future will be like.  Altiok and Yukselturk (2018) suggest that "it is expected that today's children have the knowledge and skills about [modern and future] technologies and also use them effectively in their life."  It's not enough that students will be expected to use technologies that might not even exist yet "effectively," but there are also expectations that students are versatile and adaptable to these technologies and will have the ability to work with them.  It's a daunting task to plan to teach technology that doesn't exist yet!

In my own future, I plan on incorporating programs like Scratch for short student programs.  I am excited to try out a number of events, from helping students make changes to an initial program to watching them learn to build their own programs using block coding.

In my own work, with college students, I have already begun to incorporate elements of design thinking to help them understand the dynamic process of research.  We use engineering examples, and have even watched the taco party video (below) from our class.  

The message I give to kids -- including college "kids" -- is that coding, like research, is dynamic.  There isn't always a right or wrong answer which means you can think about it as creatively as you would like and your first answer doesn't have to be your final answer.

References

Altiok, S., & Yukselturk, E. (2018). Pre-service information technologies teachers' views on computer programming tools for K-12 level. International Journal of COmputer Science Education in Schools, 2(3). https://doi.org/10.21585/ijcses.v2i3.28

Boakes, N. (2019) Engaging diverse youth in experiential STEM learning: A university and high school district partnership.  International Online Journal of Education and Teaching, 6(2), 245-258.

Jenson, J., & Droumeva, M. (2016). Exploring media literacy and computational thinking: A game maker curriculum study. Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 14(2), 111-121.

Tan, T. A. G., & Vicente, A. J. (2019). An innovative experiential and collaborative learning approach to an undergraduate marketing management course: A case of the Philippines. The International Journal of Management Education, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2013.100309