Young children's conceptions of computers, code, and the Internet

摘要

Today, children are growing up surrounded by versatile digital technologies [1,2], and at an early age, children start to form conceptions of how these technologies work and their basic capabilities [3]. Therefore, teaching children about digital technologies should consider children's initial mental models of the technologies [4], as well as the role the technologies play in children's everyday experiences [5]. This paper explores five- to seven-year-old children's concepts of computers, code, and the Internet. The rationale behind focusing on these concepts is grounded on the changed nature of children's digital life-worlds and recent curricular reforms. Computers that once were clumsy stand-alone machines have transformed into ubiquitous technologies, such as mobile devices (i.e., tablets and smartphones) and computer-integrated household devices (i.e., washing machines, refrigerators, and toys). Thus, it is important to study whether and how this development is reflected in children's concepts of computers. Additionally, whereas once games and movies were bought or rented from specialty stores, today they are downloaded, played, and watched online [1,2]. In other words, as the Internet is one of the meaningful life-worlds of 21st-century children, it is important to deepen our understanding of how they conceptualize this environment. Last, the "learning to code" agenda was recently introduced in school curricula across Western contexts [5,6]. The pedagogics of elementary programming for young children are in the emerging stage [5,7], and to develop appropriate and research-based methods, up-to-date knowledge of children's initial concepts of code and programming is needed.