ERIC Number: ED626865
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Mar
Pages: 34
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Impact Study of the Coding as Another Language Curriculum
Zhanxia Yang; Patricia Moore Shaffer; Courtney Hagan; Parastu Dubash; Marina Bers
Grantee Submission
The aim of this study was to explore how the Coding as Another Language (CAL) curriculum, developed by Boston College's DevTech Research Group and utilizing the ScratchJr app, impacted students' computational thinking, coding skills, and reading comprehension. To accomplish this, the research team randomly assigned thirteen schools in a northeastern state of the United States to teach the Coding as Another Language curriculum or to a "business as usual" control condition. These thirteen schools were randomly assigned to either the treatment group (CAL condition) or control group, with six schools designated to the CAL condition and seven schools designated to the control group. Participants in the study, referred to as Impact Study A, initially included 37 kindergarten, first-, and second-grade teachers, including supporting teachers, and 464 kindergarten, first- and second-grade students from 28 classrooms in the treatment group and 44 teachers including supporting teachers and 488 Kindergarten, first, and second-grade students from 36 classrooms in the control group. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to determine the impact of the CAL curriculum on first and second grade students' computational thinking, coding skills, and reading comprehension. Results showed that the CAL curriculum intervention had a significantly positive impact on students' coding performance while no notable difference was found on students' computational thinking. Additionally, an examination of students' standardized literacy achievement across the two conditions found no notable difference on students' standardized literacy achievement. This implied that even though the treatment group students allocated regular class time for the CAL curriculum, the students in the treatment group showed comparable growth on the standardized assessments with the students in the control group.
Descriptors: Coding, Second Language Learning, Curriculum Development, Programming Languages, Computer Oriented Programs, Kindergarten, Preschool Teachers, Elementary School Teachers, Elementary School Students, Grade 1, Grade 2, Computation, Thinking Skills, Reading Comprehension, Academic Achievement, Literacy
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Kindergarten; Primary Education; Preschool Education; Grade 1; Grade 2
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: N/A
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: U411C220202
What Works Clearinghouse Reviewed: Meets Evidence Standards with Reservations
WWC Study Page: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/WWC/Study/91257