What kind of structured research or documented field experience
exists, related to use of computer programming concepts with very
young children, at the pre-reading level (i.e., up to and including 5
year olds)? I am particularly insterested in documented experiences
and activities in kindergarten settings.

After some preliminary searches I found the Logo Project, concerned
with research of computer programming in elementary school pupils.
Surf here to find some solid references:

www.stanford.edu/~roypea/HTML1%20Folder/logo.html

Here's a list of various studies of computers and children:

www.netc.org/earlyconnections/bibliography.html

I think this one will be of particular interest to you:

Clements, D. & Gullo, D. (1984). Effects of computer programming on
young children's cognition. Journal of Educational Psychology, 76(6),
1051-1058.

There is a full study available to read which tests kindergarten
children using Logo. It's called 'Effects Of Logo Experience And Grade
On Concept Learning And Creativity' and can be found at:

http://www.vanguard.edu/faculty/ddegelman/logo.pdf

There's also a paper called 'Research On Logo: Effects and Efficacy"
which can be found at:

http://el.media.mit.edu/logo-foundation/pubs/papers/research_logo.html

Hope this helps

Sim-ga

Search Engine Used: Google


Search Terms:

"gifted preschool children" computer programming

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"precocious preschoolers"

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Clements, D. & Gullo, D. (1984). Effects of computer programming on
young children's

://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=Clements%2C+D.+%26+Gullo%2C+D.+%281984%29.+Effects+of+computer+programming+on+young+children%27s&btnG=Google+Search



research children computer programming pre-school


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Request for Answer Clarification by andabata-ga on 02 Nov 2002 08:51 PST

Thanks for your answer. I believe that going over the resources in the
"Early Connections" and the study on kindergartens and Logo will prove
very helpful indeed. However, please note that there is more to
kindergarten computer programming than simply the fact that it
involves very young children, and that is the fact that the average
kindergarten child does not read - something necessary for Logo,
unless icon controls for turtle movements are used, I suppos.
I was thinking around some experiences with languages that rely more
on graphics or symbols - i.e., that are more usable with any regular
kindergarten child, not just those that are already able to read.
I am just saying this because the first result pointed, from Dr. Roy
Pea's site, is more oriented towards elementary school children - that
already know how to read and write (or at least are learning how to do
it).
Could you just try out, briefly, another search, with this extra focus
in mind?
Do you feel that you could do a more refined

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Clarification of Answer by sim-ga on 04 Nov 2002 07:53 PST

For a full list of the work of Papert go to

http://www.papert.net/articles/PapertWorks.pdf

Of particular interest is 'Redefining Childhood: The Computer Presence
As An Experiment In Developmental Psychology'.

One experiment Papert refers to involves the LOGO programming system
and seems aimed at pre-schoolers. The programme helps the children
achieve the first steps towards reading by using coloured symbols.

Although one set of LOGO experiments involved writing commands,
another involved 'playing turtle' - by moving their body, the child
could influence movement of the turtle on screen - hence it does not
involve reading.

This, along with a load more LOGO info can be found here

http://ekstern.alu.hist.no/~dennisgl/logo/logo-faq.html

Unfortunately, I was unable to find any further information regarding
your question.

Best wishes


sim-ga


Search engine used: Google

Search Terms

kindergarten computer symbol learn

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I already had done a few web searches on the subject, but this answer
provided me with several new paths to explore. Thanks!

I strongly suggest you also look at the works of Seymour Papert. 
(http://www.papert.org/)

He pioneered computer usage with very young children in the sixties
and one of his books inspired the Lego Mindstorms range.

I recommend taking a look at Stagecast Creater
(http://www.stagecast.com). It allows you to create programs based on
the graphical relationship between objects.