Uploaded October 2019 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Capitalizing on the power of story to teach foundational computational thinking (CT) concepts, WGBH and EDC have undertaken research to answer the question: Can parent/child engagement with digital media and hands-on activities improve children’s early learning of computational thinking? The project team utilized an iterative research and design process with children and their parents to create media (animated and live-action video narratives) and hand-on activities (joint media engagement activities), while investigating how learning can be enriched and deepened through successive interactions. Following the creation of these resources, a experimental impact study is now being conducted using a mixed-methods approach to capture evidence on the extent to which these resources encourage the development of young children’s CT, as well as assessing parents’ comfort and interest in the subject.
Capitalizing on the power of story to teach foundational computational thinking (CT) concepts, WGBH and EDC have undertaken research to answer the question: Can parent/child engagement with digital media and hands-on activities improve children’s early learning of computational thinking? The project team utilized an iterative research and design process with children and their parents to create media (animated and live-action video narratives) and hand-on activities (joint media engagement activities), while investigating how learning can be enriched and deepened through successive interactions. Following the creation of these resources, a experimental impact study is now being conducted using a mixed-methods approach to capture evidence on the extent to which these resources encourage the development of young children’s CT, as well as assessing parents’ comfort and interest in the subject.
