When a solution is not working the way it was intended, reflecting on what was done and figuring out what changes to make to get a better result.
Published in Chapter:
Developing Preschoolers' Computational Thinking Skills Through Digital Gameplay
Heather Lavigne (Education Development Center, USA), Jillian Orr (WGBH Educational Foundation, USA), Marisa Wolsky (WGBH Educational Foundation, USA), Borgna Brunner (WGBH Educational Foundation, USA), and Amanda Wright (Kentucky Educational Television, USA)
Copyright: © 2021
|Pages: 32
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-6888-0.ch016
Abstract
This chapter provides an overview of how digital media can be leveraged to support the exploration of developmentally appropriate computational thinking (CT) skills for preschoolers. These skills, named CT Core Ideas in the project team's framework, support children's abilities to tackle problems or goals using systematic, computational strategies. The authors describe a theoretical model that outlines the ways in which CT aligns with preschool math instruction, and how children can apply their CT skills through digital gameplay. This chapter also shares lessons learned from classroom research with teachers and children and describes several game prototypes that children played to practice their CT skills. At the end of the chapter, they provide recommendations for how educators can support young children's CT by integrating hands-on gameplay into classroom instruction.