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Programming environments for the development of CT in preschool education: A systematic literature review

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Submitted   Aug 23, 2022
Published   Oct 24, 2022
Issue    Vol 3 No 1 (2023)
DOI   10.25082/AMLER.2023.01.001

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Konstantina Louka corresponding author
Department of Preschool Education, University of Crete, Rethymno, Crete 74100, Greece

Abstract

Computational Thinking (CT) and coding skills are internationally acknowledged as necessary for today's students and 21st century citizens. Nowadays, despite the multifaceted nature of CT, the introduction of CT and associated concepts is regarded as developmentally acceptable for preschool and kindergarten children. Furthermore, there is a considerable influx of software offering various interfaces and styles which facilitate the introduction of children aged four to six to essential CT, coding, and problem-solving skills. Although the creators of these environments claim that they bear educational value, there is no formal or scientifically documented evaluative system certifying this value. For instance, the fast-paced developers produce apps, and the breadth of the available apps has gone beyond what is reasonable for researchers and experts in the domain to evaluate. This article presents a literature review on the available software to encourage preschoolers’ introduction to CT, coding and general literacy skills.

Keywords
programming environments, computational thinking, coding skills, educational robotics, preschool education

Article Details

How to Cite
Louka, K. (2022). Programming environments for the development of CT in preschool education: A systematic literature review. Advances in Mobile Learning Educational Research, 3(1), 525-540. https://doi.org/10.25082/AMLER.2023.01.001
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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