LEARN IN G & DE V E LO P ME N T COMP UTATION A L THIN K ING

Think again
Computational skills need to be reflected in curricula and practice, writes Marc Faulder in the
first part of a new series on teaching computational thinking in the early years

P
art of the challenge for
any education system is
to equip children with the
skills that they will one day
need in the world of work.
Predicting job require-
ments is never easy, but what seems
indisputable is that ‘coding’ and
‘computational thinking’ will become
essential skills for a vast array of jobs
– not just in the Silicon Valleys of
the world but across all sectors from
health to retail.
The extent to which education
systems are failing to keep pace with
requirements is seen in the current
skills gap, with the demand for com-
puter programmers and software
developers far outstripping the num-
ber of people who understand the
concepts of coding – a problem that
is being felt across Europe and the
rest of the world (Schoolnet, 2015).
As with so many other skills, the
nursery years are seen as an ideal
time in which to lay the foundations
for computational thinking. And Computational thinking includes: England is well advanced in deliv-
there is good news here, particu- l logical reasoning – predicting and ering a primary curriculum that is
larly for those with concerns about analysing skills MORE fit for purpose. In 2015, it was the
young children’s exposure to digital l spotting patterns – finding and INFORMATION only one of 13 European countries
technology. These skills link directly using similarities that had integrated computational
with the Characteristics of Effec- l decomposition – breaking down l Marc Faulder will be thinking into its national curriculum
tive Learning and can be supported problems into smaller parts one of the leading – with Finland and Belgium about
within play-based ‘enabling environ- l debugging – finding and fixing early years experts to follow. And it was one of only two
ments’, perhaps with only tweaks to errors, changing strategies speaking at the countries with coding as a compul-
current practice rather than whole- l evaluating – making judgements Nursery World Show sory part of its primary curriculum
sale change. They don’t even need to l tinkering – time to explore in London on 2 and (European Schoolnet, 2015).
involve computers. (Sargent, 2016). 3 February 2018. His The computing programme of
seminar will look at study within the primary national
CODING AND THINKING PRIMARY AND EYFS how voice and image curriculum aims to develop the next
‘Coding’, put simply, is the pro- CURRICULA recording technology generation of coders by helping chil-
cess of creating step-by-step com- Just as these computational skills can empower dren to:
mands for a computer to follow, so mirror the changing landscape of children to extend, l identify complex problems
that it does what you want it to do. technology, so they will need to be record and reflect on l separate problems into
‘Computational thinking’, by con- reflected in curricula and practice. their learning. manageable tasks
trast, is the thinking skills needed This may require a shift in thinking To see the full l give clear and efficient commands
to be a good coder – a higher-order among educators. Rather seeing tech- seminar and l predict outcomes
PHOTOS ADOBE STOCK

skillset that enables a person to
a p p ro a c h t a s k s a n d p ro b l e m-
solving in a logical, coherent way;
the very skills that are promoted
under the Characteristics of Effec-
tive Learning.
nology simply as a tool for children to masterclass l test what happens and fix what
‘consume’ information, the emphasis programme, goes wrong.
will need to be on ‘creation’ – chil- visit: www. The Early Years Foundation Stage
dren using devices to create, share, nurseryworldshow. framework, however, has failed to
present and evaluate what they are com/london keep pace with the changes. Guidance
learning (see box). is limited and even under the revised

16 NURSERY WORLD 4-17 SEPTEMBER 2017 WWW.NURSERYWORLD.CO.UK

 Current research has identified
many benefits, writes Lorraine Kaye,
MORE among them:
INFORMATION l improved cognitive development
l gains in creative thinking and
l Get Started with problem-solving
Code, free teacher l progress in language skills (Kaye,
guides, https:// 2017).
images.apple.com/ For example, adding technology
euro/education/ such as apps that record voice, like
docs/a/generic/Get_ ChatterPix, to an activity may engage
Started_with_Code_ the more reluctant speakers. Support-
Curriculum_Guide. ing the child’s language development
pdf – not the technology – remains the
l Everyone Can Code, learning priority for the practitioner,
free curriculum but it is the technology that enhances
from early years to the activity, and the learning.
higher education, Over the coming parts of this
www.apple.com/uk/ series, the concepts of computational
everyone-can-code thinking and the skill of coding will
EYFS, the early years goal for tech- ing, making connections and choos- l The Barefoot be mapped against aspects of learn-
nology – within Understanding the ing ways to approach problems. Programme by ing across the EYFS curriculum to
World – sees children only as passive In the ‘Creating and Thinking Crit- Computing at show how children’s learning can be
consumers rather than active creators ically’ strand, children should: School, https:// enhanced by computational thinking
of information: ‘Technology: children l have their own ideas barefootcas.org.uk methodologies:
recognise that a range of technology l make links by developing ideas of l Computing our Pattern spotting: pattern-making
is used in places such as homes and grouping, sequencing, cause and future: Computer materials; sequencing stories.
schools. They select and use technol- effect programming and Decomposition: maps and route-
ogy for particular purposes.’ l make decisions about how to coding – Priorities, planning; recreating models from
‘Consequently,’ notes Lorraine approach a task school curricula and plans; planning an event such as a
Kaye in Young Children in a Digi- l change how well their activities are initiatives across picnic.
tal Age, ‘there is now potential for a going. Europe, http://bit. Logical reasoning for cause and
marked discontinuity between the So, rather than taking a narrow ly/2gjOG3J effect: floating and sinking; ramps
recent curriculum in the Early Years view of how to use technology within l Future Work Skills and cars; waterproofing dens.
Foundation Stage and that in Key the Specific area of Understanding 2020, www.iftf.org/ Algorithmic thinking: Making
Stage 1.’ the World, we need to take a holis- futureworkskills sandwiches or cakes, writing and
tic approach – building across our l www.wired. following instructions. Algorithmic
BEST PRACTICE ‘enab­ling environments’ a framework com/2017/02/ thinking will also explore how the
If early years practitioners are to for critical thinking, problem-solving programming-is-the- concepts of computational think-
address this discontinuity, then their and evaluation and making cross- new-blue-collar-job ing link to the skills needed to be a
starting point for EYFS practice must curricular connections between tech- l ‘Let’s explore… great coder. Devices, apps and non-
be not the early learning goal but the nology and learning. computational digital resources to support this will
Characteristics of Effective Learning. Computational thinking skills can thinking’ by be explored.
These are supposed to equip our be promoted without digital technol- Marianne Sargent For many settings, embracing com-
children with the skills and attitudes ogy, but what we need to appreciate – (16 May 2016), www. putational thinking will not mean
that they need to be lifelong learn- and not fear – is the synergy between nurseryworld.co.uk any major changes in practice. As
ers, independent enquirers and criti- the Characteristics of Effective Learn- Professor John Siraj-Blachford (2015)
cal thinkers. We want to see children ing and computational thinking, and points out, early years practitioners
engaged and active in their learning the extent to which ‘good’ technology are well on their way to adopting a
but most importantly, see them creat- can enhance early learning. model of computational thinking
without even realising it.
The nature of the early years cur-
HOME AND NURSERY riculum is enquiry-based and the
Characteristics of Effective Learning
Just as educators may have to rethink how By mapping computational thinking to the are shaping the skills needed to be a
children use technology, so too will parents. Characteristics of Effective Learning, we can great coder. All that’s left is for prac-
Children starting nursery below age-typical model tasks and so empower children as titioners to make these links explicit
development in areas such as communication learners, enabling them to become creators in their teaching and children’s
and language are often said to be spending too rather than simply consumers of information. learning. n
much time on devices. Nurseries spend a great If we provide opportunities for children
amount of time and resources implementing to apply these deeper skills to their use Marc Faulder is an early years
strategies to close these gaps. Yet it continues of technology before Key Stage 1, we will teacher at Burton Joyce Primary
to be a struggle. Maybe the emphasis should be be supporting a balance of ‘creating’ and School, Nottingham and an Apple
on the technology skills that children bring to ‘consuming’, so enabling children to make distinguished educator. Part two of
the task, rather than technology per se. better choices on their devices at home. his series will be published in Nursery
World on 2 October.

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