The Impact of Code Structure on Programming Fluency for Kids in Programming Languages
Rehab Ramadan Soudani, Afaf Alayadl Mohamed Experts, Ahmed Mohamed Abdulgader, Musbah M. Abdulgader · 2024
This paper investigates the impact of children's programming fluency and its relationship to the structure of the programming code, aiming to determine the best age to start teaching programming. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative assessments with qualitative observations to assess children's development of computational skills. The study focused on block coding, particularly using the Scratch programming language to enhance children's program-ming fluency. The findings reveal that block coding significantly improves programming fluency, especially for children between 10 and 15, highlighting the importance of code structure in helping young learners better understand programming concepts such as encapsulation. This study emphasizes the value of early programming education and offers insights into effective teaching methods to promote computational thinking and creativity in young learners.