Scratch Options!
Social problem-solving abilities and CT of 4th and 5th grade students
In the context of the advancing digitalization permeating all areas of life, digital competencies are gaining in significance. Therefore, digital competencies and Computational Thinking (CT) have to be addressed and promoted within the educational context. Focusing on these areas, however, should not lead to neglecting other fundamental competencies of students. This relates especially to social-emotional competencies and their promotion in school, as the individual abilities of students influence the social interactions in the classroom and thus class climate.
‘Scratch Options!’ tries to build a bridge, so that promoting social-emotional and digital competencies are not mutually exclusive, but complement and build on each other. In the project, students will program interactive stories related to social-emotionally challenging situations with the help of the child-friendly programming language Scratch (graphic building block system). Creating these stories should foster their social-emotional competencies, as well as their CT.
The goal is to develop, test and evaluate a type of joint promotion of these competencies (CT and social-emotional competencies) within the class structure, so teachers can rely on evidence-based interventions. The contents (social-emotionally challenging situations) should address concrete challenges within the classroom, in order to enable tailored interventions.
Cooperating partners: RCIE and University of Graz
RCIE Researchers: Univ.-Prof.in Dr.in phil. Barbara Gasteiger-Klicpera; Katharina Maitz, PhD MA BA BA; Ass.-Prof.in Mag.a Lisa Paleczek, PhD;
Further information can be found here...