ERIC Number: EJ1443493
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1176-3647
EISSN: EISSN-1436-4522
Available Date: N/A
Young Children's Conceptions of Robot Programming Learning: A Draw-a-Picture and Epistemic Network Analysis
Yuchen Chen; Yun-Fang Tu; Xinli Zhang; Gwo-Jen Hwang
Educational Technology & Society, v27 n4 p69-89 2024
As technology-enhanced children's learning has gained wide attention, programmable robots have been gradually introduced in early childhood education. Hence, it would be valuable to understand how young children perceive robot programming learning. Draw-a-picture technique is an ideal method to elicit ideas, thoughts, and feelings for children with limited literacy, and epistemic network analysis (ENA) is a novel analytical method to analyze children's conceptions through the visualized network model. Therefore, this study employed a draw-a-picture technique and ENA to explore 189 5-6-year-old young children's conceptions of robot programming learning and probe whether their conceptions differ by gender and learning achievements. Results revealed that most children believed that with robot programming kits, they could engage in programming activities with peers in any location and held positive emotions and attitudes. In addition, young children's conceptions of robot programming learning differ notably by gender and learning achievements. Based on the current findings, several suggestions were proposed, which could set a reference for future robot programming teaching in early childhood education.
Descriptors: Robotics, Computer Science Education, Gender Differences, Freehand Drawing, Concept Formation, Early Childhood Education, Network Analysis, Programming, Learning Activities, Positive Attitudes, Check Lists, Kindergarten, Foreign Countries, Learning Processes
International Forum of Educational Technology & Society. Available from: National Yunlin University of Science and Technology. No. 123, Section 3, Daxue Road, Douliu City, Yunlin County, Taiwan 64002. e-mail: journal.ets@gmail.com; Web site: https://www.j-ets.net/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Early Childhood Education; Kindergarten; Primary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: China
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A