Hi Susan, Thanks so much for your interest in our project. Here are two activities that integrate CT and math and go beyond debugging and error in a math equation. Let us know if you would like any more information. Very best, Marisa

 Monkey Bridge (CT skill: Debugging; Math: Geometry [3-D shapes]): Children build a bridge out of blocks using the monkeys’ diagram (made up of a rectangular prism and four cylinders, the structure is designed to collapse). Children are then challenged to debug the structure: to figure out why it won’t stand up and then make changes—using the same shapes—to create a stable bridge. Extension: There’s a second monkeys’ bridge design using rectangular and triangular prisms that also requires debugging.

Make a Monkey Story (CT skill: Sequencing; Math: Counting, Ordinality): Children make a story by putting three pictures of the monkeys making lemonade in the right order, based on the math clues in the pictures. The teacher  might ask them questions like this to help them think it through:

• Why is the pitcher empty in this picture? Why is it full in this one?
• How many lemons are on the table in this picture? How many are in this one? What do you think happened to the other lemons?

Hi Mia, thanks for your questions!  During this 2-year exploratory research project, we gathered data while educators tested the CT hands-on activities and digital app prototypes. Our objective was to evaluate how well our pedagogical approach worked for integrating CT into preschool math. To achieve this, we developed a classroom observation toolkit that field researchers used to collect this data. Educators and children were observed using a set of indicators used to evaluate how successful the prototypes were in engaging children in CT practice and in leveraging children’s math knowledge. Observers also captured key behaviors and verbalizations from teachers and children. Teachers were interviewed following the observations to explore what they thought the successes and challenges were from their classroom experiences. 

Because we were in the exploratory phase of this work, we focused on understanding the meaning-making teachers and children do during these CT activities and identifying ways to further support these classroom experiences. Future project work will move toward evaluating children’s learning as a result of these activities.

Thanks Denise! These are great questions, as the world of CT is very new for early childhood education. While our project was focused on preschool math, there are other researchers who are aligning CT to other STEM areas like science and engineering.  The alignment document we mentioned in the video was focused on exploring connections between the CT skills that are in our blueprint and the skills that are taught during preschool math instruction. We used the Building Blocks preschool math curriculum to perform our alignment.  We highlighted how CT skills like developing knowledge about sequencing and algorithms relates to preschool math skills like understanding numbers and operations or patterns and algebraic thinking. The alignment document described sample activities from Building Blocks that are used to address these math skills and the instructional strategies teachers might use to scaffold the learning experience.
 
We’ve spent a lot of time talking about how CT is different from problem solving. What seems to be different about CT  is that it builds students toward the proficient use of systematic processes and strategies for solving complex problems. In many cases, we observed children using trial and error as their basis for solving problems before receiving further instruction. Computational thinking aims to give children a toolkit that can be used to break a complex problem down to its core parts and use CT strategies to generate solutions.

Hi Beth,

Because we were in the exploratory phase of this work, we didn't focus on evaluating children’s current learning nor their future learning as a result of these activities, rather we focused on understanding the meaning-making teachers and children do during these CT activities and identifying ways to further support classroom experiences. 

The training for teachers consisted of a one-day workshop. One advantage of our study design was that the same teachers participated throughout the iterative testing of the activities they were able both to inform their design as well as get repeated exposure to the same activities. 

Thanks for your interest in our project, Marisa

Hi Mahtob,

Our study didn't have children experiencing the concepts in different environments. The activities we developed were always implemented in a preschool classroom. However, they were designed for a variety of settings within the classroom (small group, circle time, etc.). Our activities (hands-on, non-digital and tablet apps) were designed to have children apply computational thinking in non-programming contexts, every day, preschool-relatable problems (like packing a picnic or having a dance party) and then incorporated the use of math (counting, use of ordinals, geometric shapes) in solving those problems. Our resources are still in development but we'd be happy to share when we have completed that process. Best, Marisa

Hi Sandy,

Thanks for your interest. Our team will absolutely take a look at your video. I'm sure we have a lot to learn from each other's project.

Best, Marisa