Title: Robotics and computational thinking in the learning of first year students

Authors: Maria Inês Pinho; Joana Martins; Sara Paredes; Daniela Mascarenhas; Paula Quadros-Flores

Addresses: Centre for Intercultural Studies (CEI) Polytechnic of Porto, Cultural and Social Studies Department of School of Education of Polytechnic of Porto CLCC Aveiro University, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 602, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal ' 1st Cycle of Basic Education and in Mathematics and Natural Sciences in the 2nd Cycle of Basic Education, ESE, Polytechnic of Porto, Rua Dr.. Roberto Frias, 602, Porto, Portugal ' 1st Cycle of Basic Education and in Mathematics and Natural Sciences in the 2nd Cycle of Basic Education, ESE, Polytechnic of Porto, Rua Dr.. Roberto Frias, 602, Porto, Portugal ' Maths, Science and Technologies Department, INED, ESE, Polytechnic of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 602, Porto, Portugal ' Education Department, INED, ESE, Polytechnic of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 602, Porto, Portugal

Abstract: Social and technological changes alter learning scenarios and ways of teaching. This article is part of the supervised teaching practice of a professional master's degree and an ERASMUS+ project. Emphasising a methodology with action-research characteristics, the trigger was the question 'How to develop computational thinking in students of the 1st year of schooling through robotics and through the articulation of knowledge?', inherent to the importance of rethinking the teaching and learning processes so that education is based on personal, social and scientific knowledge. Nineteen 6-year-old children attending the first year of schooling, were involved in an educational practice. The robotics was appointed to develop computational thinking in an interdisciplinary approach. For data collection, observation, document analysis and recording of videos were used. Reflections shows that collaborative and interdisciplinary method fosters problem solving and the manipulation of Blue-Bots and programming, allowed the development of computational thinking stages, topics of mathematics.

Keywords: computational thinking; interdisciplinarity; robotics and programming.

DOI: 10.1504/PIE.2024.140522

Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal, 2024 Vol.17 No.1/2, pp.86 - 98

Received: 12 Sep 2023
Accepted: 06 Nov 2023
Published online: 21 Aug 2024 *

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