Supporting teachers, engaging students: A collaborative model for K-12 computing education

Although the importance of Computational Thinking (CT) for children is increasingly recognized, its adoption in computing education curricula in primary schools is limited by several open challenges, including teachers’ training and curricula development. Seeking to systematize a process that enables primary school teachers to teach CT through computing education in primary schools, we present the design, evaluation, and analysis of an introductory coding course for 4th-grade classes in a large Italian city, utilizing the Scratch platform. The course followed a project-based learning approach, empowering groups of children in designing and implementing simple video games, and explored the adoption of a collaborative strategy through which computing experts, class teachers, and high-school tutors proactively supported the project work. We evaluated and refined the course educational strategies by conducting an observational study and co-designing activities with the involved teachers. Then, we derived an educational model that may allow K-12 teachers and experts to collaborate in designing and implementing computing education courses that are engaging, inclusive, and supportive.