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Coding as a Playground: Programming and Computational Thinking in the Early Childhood Classroom
Coding as a Playground is the first book to focus on how young children (ages 7 and under) can engage in computational thinking and be taught to become computer programmers, a process that can increase both their cognitive and social-emotional skills. Readers will learn how coding can engage children as producers—and not merely consumers—of technology in a playful way. You will come away from this groundbreaking work with an understanding of how coding promotes developmentally appropriate experiences such as problem solving, imagination, cognitive challenges, social interactions, motor skills development, emotional exploration, and making different choices. You will also learn how to integrate coding into different curricular areas to promote literacy, math, science, engineering, and the arts through a project-based approach.
196 pages, Paperback
Published August 21, 2017
15 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
Marina Umaschi Bers
11Ìýbooks4ÌýfollowersDr. Marina Umaschi Bers is a professor at the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development at Tufts University, with a secondary appointment in the Computer Science Department. She heads the interdisciplinary DevTech research group. Her research involves the design and study of innovative learning technologies to promote young children’s positive development. She also developed and serves as director of the graduate professional development certificate on Early Childhood Technology at Tufts University.
Dr Bers co-developed the free ScratchJr programming language, and created the KIBO robotic kit.To make KIBO widely available, she co-founded a start-up, KinderLab Robotics, Inc . As of 2020, KIBO can be found in over 61 countries. Furthermore, Singapore and Argentina have launched national programs including it. Dr Bers is the author of six books on the topic of children, new technologies and education, and many peer-reviewed journal articles. She is a pioneer in the field of early childhood technology with projects of national and international visibility and she has received multiple awards for her work, including the 2005 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). She currently serves as content director for the upcoming Wombats! animated show produced by WGBH Boston to air through PBS.
Since the late 90’s, when she did her doctoral work at the MIT Media Lab with Seymour Papert, Dr. Bers has conceived and designed diverse technological tools ranging from robotics to virtual worlds. Her early projects focused on helping teenagers explore issues of identity and values in complex, multicultural societies and her current work focuses on early childhood settings.
Dr Bers co-developed the free ScratchJr programming language, and created the KIBO robotic kit.To make KIBO widely available, she co-founded a start-up, KinderLab Robotics, Inc . As of 2020, KIBO can be found in over 61 countries. Furthermore, Singapore and Argentina have launched national programs including it. Dr Bers is the author of six books on the topic of children, new technologies and education, and many peer-reviewed journal articles. She is a pioneer in the field of early childhood technology with projects of national and international visibility and she has received multiple awards for her work, including the 2005 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). She currently serves as content director for the upcoming Wombats! animated show produced by WGBH Boston to air through PBS.
Since the late 90’s, when she did her doctoral work at the MIT Media Lab with Seymour Papert, Dr. Bers has conceived and designed diverse technological tools ranging from robotics to virtual worlds. Her early projects focused on helping teenagers explore issues of identity and values in complex, multicultural societies and her current work focuses on early childhood settings.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 28, 2022
I don't usually add my school/work reading to my profile but I read this book cover to cover and thoroughly enjoyed it, so here it is!
March 4, 2018
What a great evolution of Dr. Bers' thoughts on tech and children. If you work with young children, this is an excellent read to help broaden your understanding of the underlying ideas and to give practical steps for integrating computational thinking and coding into your practice. Highly recommend!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
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