Conceptions and misconceptions about computer science in preschool teachers

WEIMER, JNN; SANTOS, JA; MEDRANO, G; SCHINCA, H; HERMIDA, M. J.

Buenos Aires

Congreso; XIX Reunión Nacional y VIII Encuentro Internacional de la AACC; 2023

Asociación Argentina de Ciencias del Comportamiento

IntroductionComputer science (CS) was recently incorporated as core knowledge in Early Childhood Education and is mostly taught by class teachers. However, we do not know how much teachers know about basic CS concepts they should teach.ObjectivesThis study analyses the conceptions of the preschool teaching staff about CS. Specifically, we addressed the prevalence of misconceptions about CS and whether that prevalence is associated with sociodemographic variables (i.e., teacher’s age, years of expertise, maximum educational level reached or CS training).MethodologyAn anonymous online survey (n= 223) was conducted between April and July 2022, among preschool teachers in Buenos Aires, Argentina, addressing the aspects suggested by previous studies and by CS experts as being the most confusing for a non-expert audience. Percentages of each concept are described. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to check whether sociodemographic variables predicted correct responses by item.ResultsOverall, the majority (sixteen out of the twenty-three) of the sentences were correctly answered (i.e., as the interviewed computer scientists had answered). However, the technical aspects of CS are highly unknown. No sociodemographic variable predicted the probability of giving a correct answer. DiscussionTechnical issues of CS should be addressed by courses. Instead, aspects linked to the learning of CS are mostly known.