K-2nd Grade Teachers' Perceptions of Computational Thinking: Research Findings and Implications for Integrating Engineering and Computational Thinking in Elementary Education (Fundamental)
Conference
Rehmat, A, Ehsan, H, Cardella, ME. (2022). K-2nd Grade Teachers' Perceptions of Computational Thinking: Research Findings and Implications for Integrating Engineering and Computational Thinking in Elementary Education (Fundamental)
.
Rehmat, A, Ehsan, H, Cardella, ME. (2022). K-2nd Grade Teachers' Perceptions of Computational Thinking: Research Findings and Implications for Integrating Engineering and Computational Thinking in Elementary Education (Fundamental)
.
As engineering has been incorporated in elementary education over the past two decades, a primary focus has been on engineering design. This approach has been productive, particularly in integrating engineering with math, science, and language arts. However, design is only one aspect of engineering. Engineering as a field of study and a profession also involves mathematical modeling, teamwork, ethical reasoning, and computational modeling. In this paper we are interested in computational thinking as a way of thinking and a set of skills relevant for computational modeling and synergistic with engineering problem solving. Computational Thinking (CT) has been described as a set of essential skills that are relevant for computer science but also can be integrated across STEM disciplines. These skills have the potential to advance children's problem-solving skills and foster their ability to think in new ways. However, for children to reap the benefits of CT, there is a critical need to prepare teachers who are well-equipped to teach CT. This qualitative study explores kindergarten through second grade teachers' perceptions of CT after they have implemented a STEM+C+literacy curriculum in their classrooms. A thematic analysis of the data revealed that teachers associated computational thinking with specific coding activities, an interdisciplinary subject, and a problem-solving process.
