Design strategies to integrate creative learning in elementary school curricula through computer programming activities

ABSTRACT

Cultivating children’s creativity and imagination is fundamental to preparing them for an increasingly complex and uncertain future. Engaging in creative learning enables children to think independently and critically, work cooperatively, and take risks while actively engaged in meaningful projects. While current trends in education, such as maker movements and computer science education, are dramatically expanding children’s opportunities for engagement in creative learning, comparatively few empirical studies explore how creative learning can be integrated into elementary school curricula. In this paper, we investigated five key design strategies for integrating creative learning in school curricula through computer programming activities. The five design strategies, drawn from design meetings with in-service teachers and two pilot studies, comprise (1) prepare an object-to-think-with for specific curricular ideas, (2) find a context that provokes a leap of ideas within a disciplinary framework, (3) facilitate tinkering through disciplinary inquiry, (4) pair students and establishing developer and researcher roles, and (5) provide feedback to connect computer programming projects to disciplinary ideas. Implementing these strategies with mixed-method analysis indicated positive support for the efficacy of these design strategies. We also provide insights into difficulties with integrating creative learning into school curricula.

KEYWORDS:

• Creative learning
• constructionism
• computer programming education
• curriculum integration
• elementary education
• coding education

Acknowledgment

This work was supported by Google for Education in Japan. We also would like to thank Dr. Hiroyuki Muramatsu and teachers from Shinshu Design Fellow programs for supporting this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Google for Education Research Grant.

Notes on contributors

Yumiko Murai

Yumiko Murai is an Assistant Professor in the Educational Technology and Learning Design program at Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University, Canada. Her research focuses on designing and studying technological tools, programs, and environments that support learner motivation and confidence through online and in-person creative activities. Prior to SFU, Yumiko worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Lifelong Kindergarten group at MIT Media Lab and MIT Playful Journey Lab, designing and studying online and in-person professional development programs and assessment for/with maker and computer science educators. Yumiko holds an Ed.D. in Communication in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Ryohei Ikejiri

Ryohei Ikejiri is an Assistant Professor at the Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies at the University of Tokyo, Japan. His research focuses on history education, transfer of learning and design theory through development and assessment of instructional materials. Ryohei developed and investigated a number of digital learning materials and educational games in the field of social studies. He authored book chapters and peer-reviewed articles on educational technology, history education and game-based learning. Ryohei holds a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Information Studies from the University of Tokyo.

Yuhei Yamauchi

Yuhei Yamauchi is a Professor at the Interfaculty Initiative in Information Studies at the University of Tokyo, Japan. His research focuses on innovations in learning environments specifically focusing on space design, activity design, learning communities and artificial objects. Yuhei has worked on numerous research projects focusing on digital textbooks, online learning, and STEAM education collaborating with partners from academic, business, and public sectors. He is an author of a number of books and papers on design of learning environments and digital technologies.

Ai Tanaka

Ai Tanaka is an elementary school teacher at the Ina-Higashi elementary school in Ina-city, Nagano prefecture, Japan. She has more than 10 years of teaching experience in Japan and China working with elementary school children including children with special needs. Ai is passionate about integrating technologies into classrooms and has earned a number of certificates and licenses including Microsoft Innovative Educator, Intel Master Teacher, Google Certified Educator Level 1, Apple Teacher, and Viscuit Facilitator. She also leads numerous teacher professional development programs across school districts in Japan. Ai is currently working on a master’s degree on Information Studies at the Open University of Japan.

Seiko Nakano

Seiko Nakano received her B.A. degree from Keio University in 2006, and M.A.S. from the University of Tokyo in 2019. She is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Tokyo. Her research interests include social-emotional competencies, project-based learning, and informal learning.