"It's Like a Giant Brain with a Keyboard": Children's Understandings about How Computers Work

Autor/inn/en	Robertson, Judy; Manches, Andrew; Pain, Helen
Titel	"It's Like a Giant Brain with a Keyboard": Children's Understandings about How Computers Work
Quelle	In: Childhood Education, 93 (2017) 4, S.338-345 (8 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Robertson, Judy) ORCID (Manches, Andrew)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0009-4056
DOI	10.1080/00094056.2017.1343589
Schlagwörter	Computers; Interviews; Young Children; Elementary School Students; Foreign Countries; Comprehension; Programming; Student Attitudes; Concept Formation; Beliefs; Electronics; United Kingdom (Scotland) + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Digitalrechner; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; Frühe Kindheit; Ausland; Verstehen; Verständnis; Programmierung; Schülerverhalten; Concept learning; Begriffsbildung; Belief; Glaube; Elektronik
Abstract	Thirty years ago, when personal computers were first becoming available in homes and schools, a large group of primary school-age children were asked to share their attitudes about computers, their conceptions regarding how computers function, and their beliefs concerning computers' agency. The researchers wanted to gather baseline data regarding children's ideas about computers to study how these ideas changed as technology advanced. An important aspect of the study was to ascertain children's conceptual models of how computers operate, with the concern that an inadequate or flawed conceptual model would hamper children's ability to generalize or deepen their computer skills. In order to understand what children today know and believe about computers, the authors interviewed 18 children (eight boys) between 5 and 8 years old from two state-funded primary schools in a Scottish city. The children were asked questions about understanding what computers are, how computers are programmed, and whether computers have agency. The interviews provide insight into children's understanding of the technology they encounter in their everyday lives. In spite of their knowledge about and experience with using computers, they generally did not know how computers work or how they might be programmed. They had mixed views about a computer's agency. The article contains guidance for practitioners who wish to teach computing concepts to their learners. (ERIC).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01