Can Children Aged 3–5 Years Learn to Code: Teacher Perceptions of Student Practices, Concepts, and Perspectives

Engineering and technology teachers have advocated using robotics and coding to cultivate students’ computational thinking and problem-solving skills at PreK-12 levels. Understanding teachers’ perceptions of how preschool children develop strategies and skills for engaging in robotics and coding activities is crucial for promoting the early use of these technologies in classrooms. This qualitative case study explored two preschool teachers’ perceptions regarding capabilities and strategies to code and interact with the socio-technical world during robotics activities among children aged 3–5. The teachers used a Blue-Bot® robot to engage children in interactive coding and shared their experiences and insights in interviews. A thematic analysis revealed that teachers observed children employing three strategies for directing the robot, physical visualization, verbalization, and multiple pathways, with age and gender differences in strategies employed. Furthermore, teachers perceived children were able to understand and apply basic coding concepts through practices, even though they were not verbally articulating them. Additionally, teachers perceived children were developing favorable relationships with peers and the robotics world during their robotics and coding activities. The findings suggested that teachers should consider the developmental stage of children aged 3–5, along with the diverse strategies they employ, when implementing robotics education in early childhood settings. Moreover, they should recognize that children’s understanding of fundamental coding concepts and their perspectives on socio-technical relationships are critical to consider when engaging children in robotics and coding activities.