April 14, 2023

This conference papear reported on a study that explored the effects of different coding interventions (CAL-ScratchJr, CAL-KIBO, and codeSpark) on the acquisition of computational thinking (CT) in first graders. TechCheck CT assessment data were collected in three studies involving 407 children from five schools who received one of three coding interventions. We compared their TechCheck scores to 71 children in a control group that participated in non-coding classroom activities for a comparable time. TechCheck scores improved after all interventions but not in the control group. This provides evidence that the acquisition of CT can be accelerated by learning to code. Exploratory analyses indicated that the interventions had different effects on the various domains of CT. These findings have possible implications for the design of future interventinons.  The paper was presented at the American Eduational Research Association 2023 Annual Meeting.