Abstract:

In search for an answer to the question of what skills and knowledge will be needed by future generations from an early age, we have come to a conclusion that special attention should be paid to developing the ability to think creatively, i.e. to solving problems in everyday situations in the institutional context – the kindergarten. In doing so, we are especially committed to collaborative participatory learning of children and adults who develop a responsibility for a quality, stimulating socio-pedagogical environment, in which the abilities of each individual will be updated in a personalized system of learning, teaching, play and research. In this context, we also consider the development of algorithmic thinking skills in children of an early age. Algorithm and algorithmic thinking skills are not primarily affiliated to education but instead considered as a set of actions involving understanding of objectives of further activities and undertaking a series of steps to solve practical problems (Veronina, Sergeeva & Utyumova, 2016), highlighting its contribution to the field of education. For example, algorithm comprehension makes it possible to transfer the method of solving a problem to similar tasks since algorithmic thinking is a way of reaching a solution by defining the steps clearly (Yıldız, Çiftçi & Karal, 2017). Algorithmic thinking provides a basis for understanding and learning how to achieve goals or for understanding a situation of performing a task in creating and following simple sequences, going forward and backwards in combination. There can be more than one adequate and correct method (algorithm) in solving a problem. Thus, a satisfying procurement of algorithmic thinking skills makes it possible for future generations to take the most suitable steps to achieve the desired level or the preferred goal. The aim of our research is to determine and identify algorithmic thinking skills in daily practice, with a specific and straightforward analysis of kindergarten teachers’ propositions (N=40) from seven different kindergartens given by focus groups and a close reading of participants activities´ proposals afterwards. Using the methodology of qualitative research and content analysis on the collected 200 examples of proposed and described activities from educational practice, we have identified the elements that contribute to the development of algorithmic thinking skills in the institutional context of early childhood education and care. The analyzed elements as well as a holistic approach to this kind of thinking will be detected as responsible for fostering and innovating a set of algorithmic thinking skills in preschool institutions, with a highlighted bottom up approach, based on the best kindergarten practices in Croatia.

Keywords:

Algorithmic thinking, institutional context, qualitative research, early childhood education and care.