Examining Stakeholder Opinions on Coding Education in Primary Schools

Abstract

Coding means writing down the steps to be followed in order to carry out any operation through computers, using commands step by step. In other words, it is the job of finding a solution to an existing problem by using the language that the computer understands. Thanks to coding education, students are provided with skills such as research, problem solving, computational thinking, making inventions, developing projects, questioning and producing from a very young age. For this reason, people in later ages will research, question, think analytically and produce in all areas of their lives, even if they are not in the software business. It is also known that coding skills increase children's ability to look at problems from different perspectives, think systematically, produce solutions, think creatively and establish cause-effect relationships, which requires them to use higher-level thinking skills. The purpose of this research is to determine stakeholder opinions regarding coding education. While determining stakeholder opinions, the case study approach, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. Research; It was carried out with 25 people including teachers, administrators and parents. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview form and face-to-face interviews. According to the research results, teachers, administrators and parents; that coding education is beneficial, that it improves students' thinking skills, that this education should start from the primary school level, and that education started at an early age can develop various skills in students, that teachers must also receive training in order to provide coding education, that coding education should be among the compulsory courses in primary school education programs, and They stated that this education is a need today.