The effects of robotic activities on pre-school children'screative thinking skills

This study aims to investigate the effects of a STEM-robotics program on early childhood students' creative thinking skills and designs. As part of the study the program consisting of 6 modules was developed. This robotics program aims to help students gain insight into robots and algorithmic thinking skills. The program is aligned with the outcomes of the Early Childhood Education Program developed by Ministry of Education. Teaching methods and techniques suitable for the early childhood students were used. In order to make a preliminary evaluation of the program, a pilot study was conducted with four students, two girls and two boys, during the first semester of the 2017-2018 academic year. According to data obtained from the pilot study, some changes were made in the program and the main study was conducted with eight students, four girls and four boys in the second semester of the same year. A mixed method research methodology was used for data collection and analysis. Torrance Creative Thinking Test was applied as pre-test and post-test. One-on-one interviews were conducted with the students and video recordings were taken and documented during the implementation of the program. In addition, students' drawings were analyzed before and after the module in order to investigate their designs. As a result of the program, students' creative thinking and fluent thinking skill scores increased. In addition, it was observed that early childhood students could use and developed algorithmic thinking skills. They were able to reflect these skills to their designs, establish relationships between concepts.