The use of Minecraft as a medium to advance Computational Thinking Skills in early years: A case study of two student pairs

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Published: Dec 22, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/icw.35537
Keywords:
Computational Thinking Preschool Education Plugged Activities Unplugged Activities Linear Narrative activities Digital Games Minecraft
Ilias Karassavvidis
University of Thessaly, E.C.E.
Sofia Fidana
Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλίας, Π.Τ.Π.Ε.
Abstract

This paper examines, on the one hand, the emergence of Computational Thinking (CT) skills in both unplugged and plugged activities, and on the other hand, how the digital game Minecraft mediates the development of these skills in the context of preschool education. The CT skills examined are: Decomposition, Sequencing, Pattern Recognition, and Algorithmic Thinking. A case study involving a total of four preschool children is described. The teaching intervention lasted one week for each pair of children and included two unplugged activities and one plugged activity in Minecraft. This paper examines aspects of the computer-based activity where children initially processed the fairy tale "The Three Little Pigs" and were then asked to recreate it in Minecraft. The results showed that (a) different CT skills emerged in the unplugged and plugged activities, and (b) Minecraft provided unique affordances that allowed for a very open implementation of the activities. The paper concludes with a discussion of the research findings in relation to the existing literature on CT in preschool education.

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