Teaching the Principles of Computer Science Early in K–12 Schools

Introducing Elementary Students to Coding and Computer Science

When elementary-aged students engage in coding and other programming activities, they become familiar with problem-solving, computational thinking and sequencing — core critical-thinking skills that will support not only computer science learning but learning across all school subjects. This early engagement provides the tools kids need to interact with the digital world.

“To understand what’s going on in the world around them, students need foundational knowledge about computer science,” says Jake Baskin, executive director of the Computer Science Teachers Association. “It’s everything from understanding the apps running on their phones to how colleges use AI to screen applicants.”

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It also prepares children for a job market that is only growing more digital. “Computer science now touches most career paths,” says Chaturvedi. “With technology, the intimidation factor for people can be high, so being able to get students comfortable and confident with it from an early age is a great benefit.”

K–12 Schools Need Early-Grade Standards and Staff for Computer Science Classes

There is little government guidance or policy on comprehensive K–12 standards for computer science. Many states are moving forward and adopting policies such as the Code.org Advocacy Coalition’s nine computer science policy recommendations. Elementary schools seeking guidance can start by looking beyond introductory coding apps.

“Coding is a good gateway, but elementary students need to engage in more project-based activities to develop problem-solving skills,” says Hicks. “We need to provide opportunities for a broader application of skills with real situations and applications.”

“At CodeAdvantage, our K–12 curriculum focuses on fundamental concepts, hands-on activities, integrating arts and crafts,” says Chaturvedi. “These kids learn the if/then principle, basic drag-and-drop, and building code. You want students to reach a point where they understand the line of code and the logic behind it — and make it fun in the process.”

Along with a lack of standards and established curriculum, schools struggle to retain staff who possess a computer science background. “There are not a lot of computer science teachers around,” explains Baskin. “The field has been doing outreach to other subject matter teachers to train them, so they can come in and teach computer science as well as their focus subject.”

Tech Support for Learning Computer Science

Despite these challenges, many schools are well positioned following the pandemic with the technology they need to support and enhance computer science for their students. Students require input devices, which can include Lenovo Chromebooks, Microsoft Surface tablets or even smartphones. Internet access and wireless network connectivity are also key.

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For younger students, most coding and programming apps — such as Roblox, Minecraft: Education Edition and MIT App Inventor ­– offer free or low-cost access.

There’s no specialized technology needed for middle school grades to learn programming languages such as Python, JavaScript or HTML5. If schools want to get more advanced or specialized, they can explore different areas, such as robotics, using Arduino, Sphero or Raspberry Pi.

Outside the classroom, schools will want to make sure that kids at home or involved in after-school activities have access to the same input devices and connectivity they have at school to continue growing their computer science skills.