Who programs whom? – Computational empowerment through mastery and appropriation in young children’s computational thinking activities

The investigation highlights how children aged 3 to 5 years engage in digital empowerment through activities involving computational thinking. Computational thinking is often referred to as a universal problem-solving method and an essential skill for thriving in today’s digitalised society. Researchers argue that computational thinking should be ensured from an early age. The research questions are:

1. What type of power dynamics emerge between children, tools, staff, and frameworks in the observed activities involving computational thinking in kindergarten?
2. In what ways are children strengthened in the observed activities involving computational thinking in kindergarten?

The results highlight how children and robots participate in interactions that go beyond children’s basic mastery of computer technology. The article concludes that the different ways in which children exercise digital empowerment deserve both academic and professional attention. It is important both as a prerequisite for and as a critical limitation of the implementation of computational thinking in kindergartens.

The study is based on data from a 1.5-year collaboration in educational design research. In the study, a socio-cultural analysis of 12 hours of video observations of interactions between children and educational robots has been conducted. A total of 36 children from two Danish kindergartens participated in the study.

Odgaard, A. B. (2023). Who programs whom? – Computational empowerment through mastery and appropriation in young children’s computational thinking activities. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 37, 1–10.