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The Code.org Platform in the Developing of Computational Thinking with Elementary School Students

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Computer Supported Education (CSEDU 2020)

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 1473))

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Abstract

Computational thinking is the thinking process involved in formulating problems to admit a computational solution. This article describes a study in which the code.org platform was used to develop computational thinking with Elementary school students. After proper introduction and contextualization, we describe the 198 students from 4th grade involved in the study, following the process of collecting and analyzing data from the code.org platform. We conclude with the evaluation carried out by the students. The main conclusion of this study is that code.org is a valid option for developing computational thinking with Elementary school students. Also, a reliable way for students to start solving real-life problems, stimulating the capacity for abstraction through simulated and experienced practice.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially financed by the Portuguese funding agency, FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, through national funds, and co-funded by the FEDER, where applicable.

This work was partially funded by CIEd – Research Centre on Education, project UID/CED/01661/2019, Institute of Education, University of Minho, through national funds of FCT/MCTES-PT.

We would like to thank the Colégio Paulo VI (Gondomar, Portugal) the authorization to carry out this study on its premises, and students of the 4th grade of the school years of 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20 by their collaboration.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Sciences and Technology, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, Vila Real, Portugal

    Rolando Barradas, Salviano Soares & António Valente

  2. INESC TEC, Porto, Portugal

    Rolando Barradas & António Valente

  3. CIEd - Research Centre On Education, Institute of Education, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal

    José Alberto Lencastre

  4. IEETA, UA Campus, Aveiro, Portugal

    Rolando Barradas & Salviano Soares

Authors
  1. Rolando Barradas
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  2. José Alberto Lencastre
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  3. Salviano Soares
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  4. António Valente
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rolando Barradas .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA

    H. Chad Lane

  2. University of Denver, Denver, CO, USA

    Susan Zvacek

  3. School of Engineering, University of Ulster, Newtownabbey, UK

    James Uhomoibhi

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Barradas, R., Lencastre, J.A., Soares, S., Valente, A. (2021). The Code.org Platform in the Developing of Computational Thinking with Elementary School Students. In: Lane, H.C., Zvacek, S., Uhomoibhi, J. (eds) Computer Supported Education. CSEDU 2020. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1473. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86439-2_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86439-2_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-86438-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-86439-2

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