Search

Coding learning can promote the development of computational thinking (CT) in young children. The effect of coding learning on CT may vary between different cultures. However, it lacks studies to evaluate the effect of coding learning on the various dimensions of CT in young Chinese children. To provide insight into this question, we recruited children aged 5-6 years to participate in the quasi-experimental study involving an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group learned collaboration- and robot-based coding for 12 lessons, whereas children in the control group attended school learning activities. The two groups showed significant changes in CT concepts after coding learning, but the changes were not different between the two groups. In addition, coding learning positively influenced the development of CT practices, including algorithm and debugging skills. Finally, qualitative analyses showed that children could express, connect, and question after learning coding, suggesting that coding learning benefits the development of CT perspectives. To summarize, coding learning positively influences the ability to apply coding concepts to solve problems in practice and the perspectives about themselves and the world around them.

Coding learning involves cognitive control ability that enables children to coordinate behaviors according to internally maintained goals. However, such ability is still developing during early childhood and cannot reach maturity at least until late adolescence. This study aimed to test whether integrating cognitive control strategies into online and offline coding courses could benefit coding learning in early childhood. The results of Study 1 indicated that performance monitoring strategy did not improve coding learning outcome, which might be due to the lack of explicit instruction and social interactions. Then, during the offline coding courses in Study 2, we intentionally taught young children to use planning, monitoring, and reflection strategies based on games and collaboration. The results indicated that these strategies promoted the learning of highly-abstract coding skills. Therefore, the cognitive control strategies that are age-appropriately designed and integrated can exert positive effect on learning coding skills in early childhood.