Investigation of the effects of unplugged coding activities developed for preschool on motivation, computational thinking and problem-solving skills

The aim of this research is to examine the effects of electronic material-based unplugged coding activities carried out with preschool children on motivation, computational thinking and problem-solving skills. In the research, electronic material-based coding was defined as a type of unplugged coding. In the Cubetto material belonging to this category, improvements have been made in accordance with the developmental characteristics of the preschool period. Additionally, eight different coding activities were developed, all of which are interactive. In the quantitative dimension of the mixed method research, a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control group was used. In the qualitative dimension, two teachers working in the experimental group were interviewed. The experimental process of the research was carried out with a total of 69 children (33 experimental, 36 control) aged 5-6 studying in a preschool in the fall semester of the 2022-2023 academic year. In the experimental group, unplugged coding activities were carried out with Cubetto material for a total of eight weeks, one lesson per week. The quantitative data of the research were obtained through the motivation scale, computational thinking skills test and problem solving skills scale, and the qualitative data were obtained through the focus group interview form. The computational thinking skills test, consisting of reasoning, algorithm, decomposition, pattern recognition, representation and debugging components, was developed by the researcher. The research results indicate a notable enhancement in motivation, computational thinking, and problem-solving skills in the experimental group. Posttests revealed a significant advantage for the experimental group in intrinsic motivation, computational thinking and problem-solving skills. Interview data further validate the positive impact of coding activities on children. The research provided recommendations concerning the scope and effectiveness of unplugged coding education during the preschool period.