Third Graders Experience on Using an Autodidactic Programming Software: A Phenomenological Perspective
Aikaterini Bagiati, Chrysoula Florou, Ioanna Kosmopoulou, Elias N. Houstis · 2020
Abstract 3rd graders experience on using an autodidactic programming software: A phenomenological perspectiveThis paper presents an attempt to understand children’s experiences while self teachingprogramming. Interest in informal i.e. out of classroom, learning settings as an emergingeducational research area is increasing. While the full educational potential of such settings is notwell understood, we suspect that their potential could be great. The advent of the internet hasplayed a very crucial role in the growth of informal learning since it allows educational contentto be widely shared, while at the same time promoting self-directed learning beginning from veryearly ages.To investigate these experiences our research group started by developing an interactiveapplication that teaches fundamental programming concepts and algorithmic thinking to earlyelementary school students. To implement this application, we looked for new student-orientedteaching and assessment approaches. Teaching is based on a parallel use of the self-teachingapplication, and the use of the “Scratch” programming platform that allows for interaction andexperimentation with fundamental but also more advanced programming concepts. Theapplication is interactive, provides constant feedback, and in parallel with teaching, offers thestudents developmentally appropriate rubrics for self-assessment. Upon completion of everymodule, and depending on the student’s progress, the application guides him/her to the nextappropriate educational module.The autodidactic application was presented and used in a public elementary school in a city inGreece. Participants in the study were 12 students, 5 boys and 7 girls, attending the 3 rd grade.Students used the application in a series of 10 after class sessions that took place 3 times perweek. Two researchers gave the students an introductory course on how to use the applicationand after that students were to use the application on their own. Data collection included theresearchers’ field notes, questionnaires that were given to students after the completion of the 3 rd,the 5th module, and interviews after the completion of the final module. Qualitative analysis,using a phenomenological framework followed the data collection. Findings showed that 11 outof 12 students felt they had acquired the knowledge and considered themselves able to performsimilar programming tasks. Furthermore students appeared to find the self-teaching approacheasier and gained familiarity with the software quickly. At the same time the more familiaritythey felt they were gaining as a group, the more they preferred to replace the researchers withtheir peers when it came to having a technical or content related question. When it came toaccomplishing the tasks, 3 different learning strategies were identified. Discussing enjoyment,students mentioned they preferred this to other educational software they had seen in the past,because of specific developmentally appropriate audiovisual features used by the application.