Métricas alternativas
Keywords
Micro-stories
Digital Apps
Augmented Reality
Early Childhood Education Pensamiento computacional
microrrelatos
app digitales
realidad aumentada
Educación Infantil
How to Cite
Abstract
This research evaluates the potential of an educational intervention aimed at developing Computational Thinking (CT) in preschool students aged 4 to 6 years (N=82). The proposal is a playful approach based on a story featuring a robot, which students must code to navigate a physical scenario and overcome various challenges by interacting with digital applications and Augmented Reality (AR). The study follows a pre-experimental design with a descriptive and comparative methodology, using a pre-test/post-test to assess CT levels based on key skills: algorithmic thinking, generalization, abstraction, decomposition, and evaluation. The results highlight the effectiveness of the proposal in enhancing CT in most students, regardless of gender and age. Students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) also showed an improvement in their CT skills, albeit with greater challenges. All participants were introduced to robotic coding, which contributed to strengthening their spatial orientation, laterality, counting skills, hand-eye coordination, logical reasoning, and more. In conclusion, the use of a playful narrative fostered students' connection with the story and empathy with the characters, enhancing their engagement with the proposed tasks and reducing their complexity.
References
Berson, I.R., Berson, M. J., McKinnon, C., Aradhya, D., Alyaeesh, M., Luo, W., & Shapiro, B.R. (2023). An exploration of robot programming as a foundation for spatial reasoning and computational thinking in preschoolers’ guided play. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 65, 57-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2023.05.015
Bono, A., Augello, A., Pilato, G., Vella, F., & Gaglio, S. (2020). An ACT-R based humanoid social robot to manage storytelling activities. Robotics, 9(2), 25. https://doi.org/10.3390/robotics9020025
Bravo, F.A., Hurtado, J.A., & González, E. (2021). Using robots with storytelling and drama activities in science education. Education Sciences, 11(7), 329. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11070329
Canbeldek, M., & Isikoglu, N. (2023). Exploring the effects of “productive children: coding and robotics education program” in early childhood education. Education and Information Technologies, 28(3), 3359-3379. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11315-x
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2011). Research methods in education. Routledge.
Chang, C.C., Hwang, G.J., & Chen, K.F. (2023). Fostering professional trainers with robot-based digital storytelling: A brainstorming, selection, forming and evaluation model for training guidance. Computers & Education, 202, 104834. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2023.104834
Chen, J., & Lee, J.S. (2023). Digital storytelling outcomes, emotions, grit, and perceptions among EFL middle school learners: Robot-assisted versus PowerPoint-assisted presentations. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 36(5-6), 1088-1115. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2021.1969410
Ching, Y.H., & Hsu, Y.C. (2023). Educational robotics for developing computational thinking in young learners: A systematic review. TechTrends, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-023-00841-1
Dietz, G., Le, J.K., Tamer, N., Han, J., Gweon, H., Murnane, E.L., & Landay, J.A. (2021). Storycoder: Teaching computational thinking concepts through storytelling in a voice-guided app for children. In Proceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-15). http://doi.org/10.1145/3411764.3445039
Dietz, G., Tamer, N., Ly, C., Le, J.K., & Landay, J.A. (2023). Visual StoryCoder: A Multimodal Programming Environment for Children’s Creation of Stories. In Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-16). http://doi.org/10.1145/3544548.3580981
Dorouka, P., Papadakis, S., & Kalogiannakis, M. (2020). Tablets and apps for promoting robotics, mathematics, STEM education and literacy in early childhood education. International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation, 14(2), 255-274. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJMLO.2020.106179
González-González, C.S. (2019). State of the art in the teaching of computational thinking and programming in childhood education. Education in the Knowledge Society, 20, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.14201/eks2019_20_a17
Hu, C.C., Chen, M.H., Yuadi, I., & Chen, N.S. (2022). The effects of constructing robot-based storytelling system on college students' computational thinking skill and technology comprehension. In 2022 24th International Conference on Advanced Communication Technology (ICACT) (pp. 496-500). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.23919/ICACT53585.2022.9728803
Işik, İ., Kert, S.B., & Tonbuloğlu, İ. (2024). Think together, design together, code together: the effect of augmented reality activity designed by children on the computational thinking skills. Education and Information Technologies, 29(7), 8493-8522. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12153-1
Leoste, J., Pastor, L., López, J. S. M., Garre, C., Seitlinger, P., Martino, P., & Peribáñez, E. (2021). Using robots for digital storytelling. A game design framework for teaching human rights to primary school students. In Robotics in education: Methodologies and technologies (pp. 26-37). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67411-3_3
Papadakis, S. (2022). Apps to promote computational thinking concepts and coding skills in children of preschool and pre-primary school age. In Research anthology on computational thinking, programming, and robotics in the classroom (pp. 610-630). IGI Global. http://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-2411-7.ch028
Pelletier, K., McCormack, M., Reeves, J., Robert, J., Arbino, N., Al-Freih, M., Dickson, C., Guevara, C., Koster, L., Sánchez, M., Skallerup, L., & Stine, J. (2022). Horizon Report, Teaching and Learning Edition. EDUCAUSE.
Shanmugam, L., Yassin, S.F., & Khalid, F. (2019). Enhancing students’ motivation to learn computational thinking through mobile application development module (M-CT). International Journal of Engineering and Advanced Technology, 8(5), 1293-1303.
Silva, B., Rodriguez, C., & Neris, V. (2023). Buttons, Devices, and Adults: How Preschool Children Designed an IoT Programming Tool. Interacting with Computers, 35(2), 301-314. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics13112086
Triantafyllou, S. A., Sapounidis, T., & Farhaoui, Y. (2024). Gamification and computational thinking in education: a systematic literature review. Salud, Ciencia y Tecnologia-Serie de Conferencias, 3, 659-659. http://doi.org/10.56294/sctconf2024659
UNESCO (2019). Marco de competencias de los docentes en materia de TIC. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000371024
Utesch, M.C., Faizan, N.D., Krcmar, H., & Heininger, R. (2020). Pic2Program-An educational android application teaching computational thinking. In 2020 IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference (EDUCON) (pp. 1493-1502). IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/EDUCON45650.2020.9125087
Vuorikari R., Kluzer S., Punie, Y. (2022) DigComp 2.2: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens-With new examples of knowledge, skills and attitudes. Publications Office of the European Union. http://doi.org/10.2760/490274
Shute, V.J., Sun, C., & Asbell-Clarke, J. (2017). Demystifying computational thinking. Educational Research Review, 22, 142-158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2017.09.003
Tengler, K., Kastner-Hauler, O., & Sabitzer, B. (2021). Enhancing Computational Thinking Skills using Robots and Digital Storytelling. In CSEDU (1) (pp. 157-164). http://doi.org/10.5220/0010477001570164
Terroba, M., Ribera, J.M., Lapresa, D., & Anguera, M.T. (2021). Propuesta de intervención mediante un robot de suelo con mandos de direccionalidad programada: análisis observacional del desarrollo del pensamiento computacional en educación infantil. Revista de psicodidáctica, 26(2), 143-151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psicod.2021.03.001
Wing, J.M. (2006). Computational thinking. Communications of the ACM, 49(3), 33-35. https://doi.org/10.1145/1118178.1118215
Yadav, S., & Chakraborty, P. (2023). Introducing schoolchildren to computational thinking using smartphone apps: A way to encourage enrollment in engineering education. Computer Applications in Engineering Education, 31(4), 831-849. https://doi.org/10.1002/cae.22609
Yang, W., Ng, D.T., & Gao, H. (2022). Robot programming versus block play in early childhood education: Effects on computational thinking, sequencing ability, and self‐regulation. British Journal of Educational Technology, 53(6), 1817-1841. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13215
Zapata, M., Marcelino, P., El-Hamamsy, L. et al. (2024). A Bebras Computational Thinking (ABC-Thinking) program for primary school: Evaluation using the competent computational thinking test. Education and Information Technologies, 29, 14969–14998 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12441-w
Zhang, F., Lai, C. Y., Simic, M., & Ding, S. (2020). Augmented reality in robot programming. Procedia Computer Science, 176, 1221-1230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcim.2024.102770
Zeng, Y., Yang, W., & Bautista, A. (2023). Computational thinking in early childhood education: Reviewing the literature and redeveloping the three-dimensional framework. Educational Research Review, 39, 100520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2023.100520
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Pixel-Bit. Media and Education Journal