DOI: 10.5176/2251-1814_EeL15.11
Authors:Gary Pinkston
Abstract: A review by the author STEM education implementations a paucity of coding opportunities for of age 4 to 12 and girls in public schools. Despite the lack of individuals capable of coding in the U.S.A., media, corporate, and governmental calls for action to address the shortage and related economic impact, movement to genuinely implement coding into the schools is sparse. Literature review found that a child’s career preferences are often shaped before the age of eight, yet few P-5 schools offer instruction in the area. Information regarding the academic justification for coding instruction, educational resources, and examples of successful implementations for the age range of 4-12 are limited in range and scope. Survey of the literature shows the lack of early coding instruction creates a domino effect where elementary schools lack of interest in teaching coding carries over to schools of education and eliminates the demand for teacher candidates the learn the necessary skills, thus aggravating the shortage of coders. Through anecdotal observations at elementary schools, privately funded computer clubs, and literature review showed successful integration of coding into the primary and intermediate grades curriculum can be fruitfully achieved. Coding activities can result in not only result in academic gains, but also social, psychological, and creative dispositional development. Mental dispositions for computer programming in the primary grades can be established if children are given the tools and opportunities to do so. Cases of successful historical implementations, examples of coding, resources to develop P-5 and teacher education programs, and the tools to do so are described within.
Keywords: coding; computer programming; children; elementary; primary
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