Evaluating young children's creative coding: rubric development and testing for ScratchJr projects.

Project-based assessment has been used to evaluate coding projects created by students for a long time. Nevertheless, there is a lack of rigorously tested project-based coding rubrics that are developmentally appropriate for early childhood. This study presented the development and testing of a coding rubric to evaluate children's creations with the popular ScratchJr app for early childhood, as well as results from field testing of the rubric. This paper first presents the ScratchJr Project Rubric development phases, and then a field test on 228 ScratchJr projects from 1st and 2nd grade students (n = 87, aged 6-7 years old) across three time points. The results showed that the rubric demonstrates validity and reliability, and can measure changes in the project quality across time points. While the rubric was designed for researchers and teachers to evaluate ScratchJr projects, the design and conceptual framework is applicable to other programming languages for children that invite creative coding.

Comprehension of computer code relies primarily on domain-general executive brain regions.

Computer programming is a novel cognitive tool that has transformed modern society. What cognitive and neural mechanisms support this skill? Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate two candidate brain systems: the multiple demand (MD) system, typically recruited during math, logic, problem solving, and executive tasks, and the language system, typically recruited during linguistic processing. We examined MD and language system responses to code written in Python, a text-based programming language (Experiment 1) and in ScratchJr, a graphical programming language (Experiment 2); for both, we contrasted responses to code problems with responses to content-matched sentence problems. We found that the MD system exhibited strong bilateral responses to code in both experiments, whereas the language system responded strongly to sentence problems, but weakly or not at all to code problems. Thus, the MD system supports the use of novel cognitive tools even when the input is structurally similar to natural language.

The Language of Programming: A Cognitive Perspective.

Computer programming is becoming essential across fields. Traditionally grouped with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, programming also bears parallels to natural languages. These parallels may translate into overlapping processing mechanisms. Investigating the cognitive basis of programming is important for understanding the human mind and could transform education practices.

Comparison of online and face-to-face dissemination of a theory-based after school nutrition and physical activity training and curriculum.

This study was conducted to compare two different online delivery methods to train after school program leaders (ASPLs) to implement a nutrition and physical activity curriculum for children to each other and to a face-to-face (FTF) training model. A three-group design was used in which ASPLs from 12 states were randomized to either standard (n = 34) or an enhanced interaction (n = 31) online training, while a FTF group (n = 24) served as comparison. All ASPLs completed training and implemented curriculum lessons over 16 weeks from March to June 2007. Weekly evaluations and pre and post-intervention questionnaires compared number of lessons implemented, subjective ratings of lesson success, and pre and post leader nutrition and physical activity knowledge. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used for among-group comparisons, paired Ttests for within-group knowledge change. Knowledge scores increased significantly (p < .001) within each group. All ASPLs fulfilled the goal of conducting at least 9 lessons, and they rated 64% of lessons successful. After adjustment, knowledge change and success scores did not differ among groups. Implementation was significantly higher for FTF (+2.23 lessons, p = .013) than for enhanced interaction, but not for standard. Online training for ASPLs, such as the standard condition, are viable means of nutrition and physical activity education and program dissemination.

The role of E-mentorship in a virtual world for youth transplant recipients.

Because of geographic distances, many youth transplant recipients do not have the opportunity to meet and form relationships with peers who have undergone similar experiences. This article explores the role of E-mentorship in virtual environments. Most specifically, by analyzing data from a study conducted with the Zora virtual world with pediatric transplant recipients, suggestions and recommendations are given for conceiving the role of virtual mentors and allocating the needed resources. Zora is a graphical virtual world designed to create a community that offers psychoeducational support and the possibility of participating in virtual activities following a curriculum explicitly designed to address issues of school transition and medical adherence. Activities are designed to foster relationships, teach technological skills, and facilitate the formation of a support network of peers and mentors.This article addresses the research question, "What makes a successful E-mentorship model in virtual worlds for children with serious illnesses?" by looking at E-mentoring patterns such as time spent online, chat analysis, initiation of conversation, initiation of activities, and out-of-world contact.

Use of a virtual community as a psychosocial support system in pediatric transplantation.

Despite significant interest by pediatric transplant patients in meeting others who have undergone transplantation, geographic distances combined with their daily routines make this difficult. This mixed-method study describes the use of Zora, a Web-based virtual community designed to create a support system for these patients. The Zora software allows participants to create a graphical online virtual city with houses expressing their individuality and objects conveying their concerns and personal stories. Zora allows real-time chat between participants further facilitating communication. Twenty-two post-transplant patients used Zora over nine months. The median number of log ons per participant was 19.50 times (q1 = 5.25, q3 = 41.50), and each participant spent a median of 12.48 h (q1 = 2.13, q3 = 25.55) logged into the program. This represented a median of 18.27 min/wk (q1 = 6.88, q3 = 37.40) per participant. Users created a total of 3736 objects (median/participant = 12.5, q1 = 2.25, q3 = 30) and created 66 virtual houses (median/participant = 2.00, q1 = 1.00, q3 = 3.00). In addition, a total of 14,444 lines of chat were recorded (median/participant = 228.5, q1 = 30.00, q3 = 663.25), and a total 278 messages were sent between users (median/participant = 3.50, q1 = 0.25, q3 = 15.5). Qualitative data show the preliminary success of the project, as three major themes emerged: (i) increased sense of normalcy for the patients, (ii) enhanced sense of self and contribution to the community, and (iii) increased social network. There were no instances of harmful interactions in the virtual world. This study demonstrates the feasibility and safety of a virtual community as a potential psychosocial intervention for post-transplant adolescents.

Beyond computer literacy: supporting youth's positive development through technology.

In a digital era in which technology plays a role in most aspects of a child's life, having the competence and confidence to use computers might be a necessary step, but not a goal in itself. Developing character traits that will serve children to use technology in a safe way to communicate and connect with others, and providing opportunities for children to make a better world through the use of their computational skills, is just as important. The Positive Technological Development framework (PTD), a natural extension of the computer literacy and the technological fluency movements that have influenced the world of educational technology, adds psychosocial, civic, and ethical components to the cognitive ones. PTD examines the developmental tasks of a child growing up in our digital era and provides a model for developing and evaluating technology-rich youth programs. The explicit goal of PTD programs is to support children in the positive uses of technology to lead more fulfilling lives and make the world a better place. This article introduces the concept of PTD and presents examples of the Zora virtual world program for young people that the author developed following this framework.

Use of a computer-based application in a pediatric hemodialysis unit: a pilot study.

This report describes preliminary efforts to implement a computer-based application, called Zora, in a pediatric hemodialysis unit. The feasibility and safety of establishing a virtual community in the hemodialysis unit are explored. Zora allows users to design and inhabit a graphical virtual city where they create characters, stories and spaces while communicating in real-time. Over a 5-month period, 7 hemodialysis patients and 4 unit staff found Zora enjoyable and safe. The results support the premise that computational environments may offer an opportunity for pediatric patients and their caregivers to participate in virtual communities that promote coping with chronic physical illnesses.

Future of technology to augment patient support in hospitals.

This chapter explores the potential of using computer technology to support and augment psychotherapeutic interventions in hospitals, communities and homes. We describe two applications piloted at Children's Hospital Boston. The first pilot explored how patients with pediatric heart disease used the Storytelling Agent Generation Environment (SAGE) computer program to create interactive storytellers and share their personal stories. The second involved youngsters on hemodialysis for end stage renal disease using the Zora graphical multi-user environment to create a virtual city and form a therapeutic virtual community. In this chapter we show how computer technology can be used to help patients explore their identity, cope with their illness and provide mutual support and interaction. We also present design recommendations for future interventions of this kind.