Coding Robots vs. Tablets: Which better fosters preschoolers’ computational thinking and social-emotional competence?

Research output: Contribution to conferencePapers

Abstract

In recent years, coding education and computational thinking skills have become increasingly important in early childhood curricula (Bers, 2020; Zeng et al., 2023). Coding robots and tablet apps have become popular tools for teaching coding to young children (Bers, 2020; Su et al., 2023). However, there is limited research comparing the effectiveness of these different coding tools, especially in terms of developing social-emotional skills (Denham, 2006) alongside computational abilities. The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of coding robots versus coding apps in promoting computational thinking (CT) and social-emotional competence (SEC) among Chinese preschoolers.

The study is framed by the concept of technology-enhanced embodied learning (Ioannou & Ioannou, 2020), which posits that physical, hands-on learning experiences are more effective for skill development. Coding robots allow embodied learning through tangible programming tasks while coding apps are more abstract. Using a randomized experimental design, 73 preschoolers participated in either a 9-week Coding Robot Program or a Coding App Program integrated into their regular curriculum. CT skills were measured pre/post-intervention using the TechCheck-K assessment (Relkin & Bers, 2021). SEC was measured through parent-report surveys. The primary data sources were the TechCheck-K computational thinking assessment, administered to children pre- and post-intervention, and the Social Competence Scale-Parent Version (Corrigan, 2002) survey on children's SEC, also collected pre- and post-intervention from parents.

The results of the independent-sample t-tests revealed that there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of children's age, gender, family SES, and the baseline assessments of both CT and SEC scores, p > .05. Results showed the Coding Robot Program improved CT skills significantly more than the Coding App Program (Between-group Cohen’s d = 1.24), with repeated ANCOVA showing a mean difference of 1.38 higher CT scores for the robot group, F(1, 49) = 5.398, p < .05. No significant differences were found between groups for SEC improvement, F(1, 60) = 0.694, p > .05. However, moderation analysis revealed that initial performance levels moderated the intervention effects on SEC. Multiple regression analyses with the pre-post change scores as the dependent variable showed that for participants with low pretest SEC scores, there was a significant increase in SEC change scores in the Coding Robot Program condition versus the Coding App Program condition. Specifically, significant interactions were found for the moderating effect of pretest scores of SEC (F(6, 59) = 7.108, p < .01, R2 = .42) and emotional regulation (F(6, 59) = 9.478, p < .01, R2 = .49) on the treatment effect.

This study’s results suggest that the Coding Robot Program was particularly beneficial for improving SEC and emotional regulation skills among children who initially struggled more in these areas prior to the intervention. The hands-on nature of coding robot activities may have provided these children with critical support in social-emotional learning compared to the more abstract tablet app coding. The study contributes nuanced evidence on the comparative benefits of coding robots versus apps for developing CT and SEC in early childhood education. Copyright © 2024 AERA.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2024
Event2024 Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association: "Dismantling Racial Injustice and Constructing Educational Possibilities: A Call to Action" - Philadelphia, United States
Duration: 11 Apr 202414 Apr 2024
https://www.aera.net/AERA24

Conference

Conference2024 Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association: "Dismantling Racial Injustice and Constructing Educational Possibilities: A Call to Action"
Abbreviated titleAERA 2024
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityPhiladelphia
Period11/04/2414/04/24
Internet address

Citation

Yang, W. (2024, April 11–14). Coding Robots vs. Tablets: Which better fosters preschoolers’ computational thinking and social-emotional competence? [Paper presentation]. 2024 Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association: "Dismantling Racial Injustice and Constructing Educational Possibilities: A Call to Action" (AERA 2024), Philadelphia, United States.

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