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Does learning to code influence cognitive skills of elementary school children? Findings from a randomized experiment
Meryem Şeyda Özcan1, Esra Çetinkaya1, Tilbe Göksun1
1Department of Psychology, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.
The British Journal of Educational Psychology
|May 27, 2021
Summary
Learning to code can enhance computational thinking skills in children. However, this study found no significant improvements in fluid intelligence or spatial orientation after a 10-week program.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Development
- Educational Technology
- Computer Science Education
Background:
- Coding is increasingly integrated into school curricula globally as a 21st-century skill.
- While coding is proposed to enhance cognitive abilities like computational thinking and problem-solving, empirical evidence remains limited and inconclusive.
- There is a need for rigorous studies to establish causal links between coding education and cognitive skill development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the causal impact of a learn-to-code program on children's computational thinking, fluid intelligence, and spatial orientation.
- To compare the effects of a coding curriculum against mathematics and reading programs using a randomized trial design.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 174 4th-grade children (81 girls).
- Participants were assigned to a 10-week program: learn-to-code, mathematics, or reading (control).
- Cognitive skills were assessed using paper-pencil tests for computational thinking and spatial orientation, and a face-to-face matrix reasoning task, at pre- and post-intervention.
Main Results:
- Significant improvements in computational thinking scores were observed exclusively in the learn-to-code group.
- Fluid intelligence showed significant increases across all conditions, suggesting a potential practice effect.
- No significant improvements in spatial orientation were detected in any of the program conditions.
Conclusions:
- Learning to code offers specific benefits for developing computational thinking skills in children.
- The study indicates that coding education, within this program's scope, does not significantly enhance fluid intelligence or spatial orientation.
- Findings highlight the targeted cognitive advantages of coding education, differentiating its impact from general academic activities.
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