Title: Children's problem-solving with programming activities: a case study with small basic

Authors: Ekmel Çetin; Selçuk Özdemir

Addresses: Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technologies, Kastamonu University, Kastamonu, 37200, Turkey ' Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technologies, Gazi University, Ankara, 06560, Turkey

Abstract: Computing courses are rising across the countries and big investments are being made for ICT integration in schools. This situation brings a new pedagogical issue that how ICT can be useful for students' mental development process. This study aims to show the importance of learning programming language in early ages and how it effects thinking skills like problem solving. Small basic kids programming language was used in this study. Exploratory case study was conducted with 17 students. Students' programming skills were evaluated according to the problem solving steps. The views of students and their parents about the training and computing were collected. According to students' scores, they have achieved the problem solving process. Results show that students found the small basic easy and funny to use and they realised that they can be productive with computing. Parents' views proved students that they enjoyed their children be productive with computer.

Keywords: small basic programming; kids programming languages; secondary education; problem-solving.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIIE.2017.091503

International Journal of Innovation in Education, 2017 Vol.4 No.4, pp.264 - 279

Received: 10 Apr 2017
Accepted: 02 Feb 2018
Published online: 02 May 2018 *

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