Fostering Computational Thinking and Social-emotional Skills in Children with ADHD and/or ASD: a Scoping Review

Abstract

Although Computational Thinking (CT) is considered an essential 21st century skill, little is known about teaching CT to students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To address this gap in the research, we conducted a scoping review to identify those approaches promoting programming skills and/or CT in children aged 6–15 with ASD and/or ADHD. We also investigated which other skills were simultaneously fostered and examined the challenges and benefits reported in the interventions undertaken. Results indicate that fostering programming and/or CT in students with ASD and/or ADHD has a beneficial effect. CT-related skills acquired by such students were found to persist beyond the intervention period and were often associated with an improvement in student social-emotional competences.