Developing Teaching Materials for Preschool Teaching Undergraduates on Computational Thinking and Introduction to Coding Erasmus Project

Project Title

Developing Teaching Materials for Preschool Teaching Undergraduates on Computational Thinking and Introduction to Coding

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Quality and Relevance of Higher Education in Partner Countries

Project Summary

The aim of the EARLYCODE project was up-skilling preschool teaching undergraduates on Computational Thinking and Coding Education and equipping them to inspire and teach children computational thinking principals utilizing effective, innovative and engaging methods. The project intended to improve capacity within the education sector to provide high quality computational thinking teaching at preschool level in the partner countries. The project specifically targeted higher education students studying to become preschool teachers. EARLYCODE project focused on developing teaching materials for Preschool Education undergraduates, lecturers and preschool teachers on computational thinking and introduction to coding.

Pupils with computational thinking skills are better at understanding and using computer-based technologies, which are necessary for today’s world and the future. Enhancing the computational thinking and teaching coding, encourages pupils to create and develop new products instead of just being passive users of technology. Early childhood education from 4-6 years is a very critical period for the development of children before they start primary school. In a world, in which 21st century skills are linked to technology based innovations, fostering computational thinking skills will provide children to be effective decision makers, problem solvers and developers of the world.

Considering the above mentioned aim and requirements, three main outputs were designed, developed and made available within EARLYCODE project:
1. Computational Thinking & Coding for Children” Course Curriculum: “Computational Thinking & Coding for Children” course is developed for Early Childhood teacher undergraduates to develop an understanding of the current needs in Computational Thinking (CT) and Coding in Early Childhood Education.
2. Handbook of Teaching Materials: Handbook of Teaching Materials include educational resources for fostering and developing computational thinking and introduction to coding. This handbook is explicitly designed for teachers who want to develop their knowledge in teaching Computational Thinking and Coding in Early Childhood Education and to obtain further tools and strategies to improve their teaching skills.
3. Manual for Computational Thinking and Introduction to Coding: The Training Manual on Computational Thinking and Introduction to Coding for Preschool Education has been developed in order to guide trainers and lecturers to implement the course curriculum in Early Childhood Education programs.

The project team consisted of Educational Technologists, Early Childhood Education specialists, Coding and Robotic experts, researchers and project experts from 5 different countries (Turkey, Italy, Latvia, Northern Ireland and Romania). This strong consortium of the project team resulted in high quality and innovative project results and also effective dissemination. All intellectual outputs were also translated in local languages of partner countries and disseminated.

Participants of the project were undergraduates of Early Childhood Education. Project team reached a big number of undergraduates as target group. Three of the project partners are universities. University lecturers and preschool teachers were also included in the project process. Dissemination process, multiplier events and other local activities had a target group consisting of teacher candidates, preschool teachers, researchers, managers, lecturers and other stakeholders.

EARLYCODE project intended to cover all relevant teaching materials in order to reach its aim and developed a comprehensive solution to the problem; “How to improve children’s computational thinking skills and teach them basic coding principles and how educate preschool teacher candidates for this purpose?”. In this point of view, materials and outputs were developed considering Early Childhood teacher undergraduates, lecturers, teachers and children. A lecturer of an Early Childhood Education program has now a curriculum to be implemented and a manual ragarding basic subject matter knowledge and also how to implement the curriculum. A teacher candidate is now able to attend the “Computational Thinking & Coding for Children” course in order to be ready for teaching coding and developing computational thinking skills of their future students/children. They will also benefit from “Handbook of Teaching Materials” which includes basic information, teaching materials, activity plans and other resources. An inservice preschool teacher can also take advantage of the Handbook of Teaching Materials. Interested universities/institutions are able to access project outputs. Some universities from partner countries have already started attempts to teach the course as elective in their Early Childhood Education programs. In addition, inservice preschool teachers have started to utilize project outputs. EARLYCODE team will go on providing support for stakeholders.

Project Website

http://earlycoders.org/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 230138 Eur

Project Coordinator

KIRSEHIR AHI EVRAN UNIVERSITESI & Country: TR

Project Partners

• SCUOLA DI ROBOTICA
• APEC Egitim Danismanlik Ltd.
• GAZI UNIVERSITESI
• LATVIJAS UNIVERSITATE
• UNIVERSITATEA DIN BUCURESTI
• EARLY YEARS – THE ORGANISATION FOR YOUNG CHILDREN LBG