Proceedings of The 6th World Conference on Research in Education
Year: 2023
DOI:
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Developing Algorithmic Thinking with educational robots in Preschool: Pilot Testing of the development program
Éva Katalin Bálint-Svella, Iuliana Zsoldos-Marchiș
ABSTRACT:
The development of algorithmic thinking can start already in preschool, since this is a sensitive period when many basic skills and abilities develop intensively. The Early Childhood Education Curriculum (2019) in Romania considers this period as the foundation stage of key competencies. The key competencies include technological competencies, the introduction of which in preschool can be linked to the development of algorithmic thinking, as educational robots can be used to develop this thinking ability. In this research, we present the possibility of using educational robots within the framework of a development program, which we tested with preschool children. The results of the children’s pre- and post-measurements lead to the conclusion that algorithmic thinking can be developed already at this age with targeted intervention.
keywords: algorithmic thinking, development program, educational robots, preschool, technological competencies