The effects of computer programming on elementary school students' academic achievement and attitudes towards computer

Abstract

Computer programming education for children in our country, new emerging and bringing together the right ingredients in order to achieve success in this field and application of information about the way the investigation is of utmost importance. According to many studies, the computer is seen by children as an entertainment, a game and a social media tools. Additionally, many individuals consider to be a device that the computer is harmful to children. As a result, some negative thoughts, perceptions and attitudes are seen to occur. In this research, the children of computer programming training aim to reveal the effects of attitudes towards computers. Research, during the spring semester of the 2012-2013 academic year with a total of 58 elementary school students in 7th grade was conducted using a singlegroup quasi-experimental design. In the research, the academic achievement of the students in computer programming education was calculated according to the t-test analysis with the data obtained pre-test and post-test measurements. It was determined that there was a significant difference in academic achievement scores in favor of post-test. In the study, the attitude scale of the students' attitudes towards computer in the pre-test application mean score [t = 14.23; p <0.05] it was found that there was a significant difference in favour of the last application ( x =162.55) with a higher mean than pre-test ( x =106.29). As a result of computer programming education, students' attitudes towards computers has emerged as a positive effect. Furthermore, it was found that there was a positive correlation between students' academic achievement and their attitudes towards computer (Pearson Correlation Coefficient = 0.6).