Plugged or Unplugged? A Comparative Study of Computational Thinking Development in Early Childhood

Computational thinking (CT) has increasingly been recognized as a fundamental skill that should be fostered from early childhood. This study investigated the comparative effectiveness of plugged (robot-based) and unplugged (without technology) instructional activities on the development of CT skills in young children. Two natural classroom groups participated, each receiving the same instructional content and assessment, differing only in intervention modality: one utilized the Bee-bot floor robot, while the other engaged in unplugged activities simulating the robot’s movements. Pre- and post-intervention assessments measured CT and spatial reasoning skills to evaluate learning gains. Results demonstrated significant improvements in CT across both groups, with no statistically significant differences in overall gains, suggesting that unplugged activities, when thoughtfully designed, can be as effective as technology-supported ones. These findings have important implications for designing inclusive and resource-sensitive early childhood CT curricula, emphasizing the value of developmentally appropriate and engaging learning experiences beyond technological availability.