Education intervention using a ground robot with programmed directional controls: observational analysis of the development of computational thinking in early childhood education

The present work presents an intervention proposal for the development of computational thinking in early childhood education, through the use of a ground robot with programmed directional controls. Within the use of observational methodology, an observation system has been designed that allows the analysis and interpretation of the behavior displayed in the performance of the intervention proposal. The reliability of the observation system has been guaranteed in the form of inter-observer agreement, calculated using Cohen’s (1960) Kappa coefficient. Within the theory of generalizability, the measurement plan [Categories] [Steps]/[Participants], has allowed to verify a high precision reliability of the generalization of the results. The operability of the observation system has been reflected in the regular behavior structures (T-patterns) detected -through the Theme software-, which have allowed characterizing difficulties in the assimilation of an incipient computational language related to the ability of spatial orientation and the sequencing capacity of children -situations involving turning and number of commands used in the sequence-.