In this research, a Textual Programming Language (TPL) is used in programming education for primary schoolchildren because of the following reasons:
(1) it is more practical to use the programming languages similar to the ones used for developing real applications,
(2) typing statements could be easier for primary schoolchildren than generally thought,
(3) there exist programming environments such as Processing that are easy to use and produce very attractive graphical outcomes.
teaching material for programming education with Processing was developed. In this teaching material, cartoons were used to explain difficult concepts. The learners who use this teaching material were supposed to draw some computational figures with chosen colors. Trial experiments of programming education using this teaching material was conducted to a cohort of seven primary schoolchildren (six 4th grade and one 5th grade children) in two consecutive weekend classes (one hour each). Since the authors' aim of this programming education was to create a sense of fun and excitement in the children and inculcate a desire to engage with computing, the motivation of the children was assessed using the questionnaire based on the ARCS (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction) motivation model. The results were encouraging and suggested that TPLs could be used in programming education for primary schoolchildren. Read More
Programming education for primary schoolchildren has been adopted in many countries in recent years. In the growth strategy approved by Japanese Cabinet in June 2013 , there was a statement saying, “In addition, the government will establish framework to continuously cultivate practical IT human resources through industry-university-government cooperation by the end of next fiscal year and promote IT education including programming education from the compulsory education stage.” The “compulsory education stage” in Japan means primary schools and lower secondary schools. In the lower secondary schools, “measurement and control by programming” became a compulsory topic in the subject of Technology Education in 2012, therefore, programming is already compulsory. Though there are not many primary schools that have classes in which programming is taught, there are many after-school and weekend classes for primary schoolchildren throughout Japan that teach programming.
In fact, is not a front runner with regard to programming education for primary schoolchildren. The UK introduced a new national curriculum which includes practical experience of writing computer programs in 20142. Also, in Australia, primary schools began teaching students how to computer code in 20153. Some other countries including USA, UK, Estonia, New Zealand, Israel, and Korea have already adopted programming as a formal subject in primary education, or are seriously considering doing so Early childhood education is, perhaps, the most important part of the education of an individual. Starting of school education is identified in Transactional Analysis, a discipline in psychology, as the event of 'social birth' of an individual, when the little person leaves home for his first independent social experience Click Here.
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