Fostering Computational Thinking and Creativity in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the design and implementation of coding, programming, and robotics activities in real-world classroom conditions in early childhood education that foster computational thinking and creativity. The study extends the author's experience in designing learning environments through experimentation, exploration, expression, construction, meaning negotiation, and collaboration. The author tries to gain further insight into the potential of implementing unplugged activities, robotics systems, and programming environments in the context of multi-disciplinary, hands-on activities. Using a variety of tools, strategies, and methods as well as qualitative approaches employed in case studies of classroom practice during Afternoon Robotics Club courses, the findings highlight the overall process indicating some special features that contribute to or cause difficulty in the formation of an effective learning experience. Special issues of interest, key aspects, solutions, and recommendations, as well as future research directions, are discussed.

A Physics and Engineering Lab for Primary Teachers at CERN

“…Educators seek training to assign hands-on experiments and activities to their classrooms to improve their students' level of knowledge. Researchers need to propose the most appropriate teaching method so that the STEM laboratory awakens students' interest and leads to particular, measured educational outcomes [23].…”

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“…Bee-Bot / BlueBot: The Bee-Bot Programmable floor robot from TTS Group (www.bee-bot.us) is a bee shape child-friendly robot, while its features such as sounds, and lights make it attractive for use in children (see Figure 12) [36]. Also, the use of buttons on its back makes its use in practice quite easy.…”

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