Robot Block-based Coding in Preschool

Abstract

This work explores the ways children learn mathematics through playing with coding (programming) and a robot in a preschool setting after a teacher expressed interest in robot coding at a summer institute. Drawing on the importance of learning mathematics through play in early childhood, this paper examines the affordances and constraints of implementing robot coding in a preschool setting across two initial screen-less coding sessions with the robot. Our findings suggest that children were challenged to connect the symbolic markers with the robot’s movement, requiring teacher scaffolding and facilitation. Nonetheless, we argue that coding experiences can support preschool mathematics learning outside of traditional pathways.