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Recent government moves in many countries have seen coding included in school curricula, or promoted as part of computing, mathematics or science programmes. While these moves have generally been associated with a need to engage more young people in technology study, research has hinted at possible benefits from learning to program including fostering general thinking skills. However, little research has been carried out exploring these ideas. This study analysed data collected while 5- and 6-year-old students in a New Zealand primary school were using Scratch Jnr. to learn about basic shapes, as part of a numeracy topic. Analysis combined Brennan and Resnick's (2012) computational thinking skills framework and Krathwohl's (2002) revision of Bloom's Taxonomy to evaluate any role general thinking skills played in these students' coding work. Results suggest including basic coding in primary curricula provides teachers with an effective means of exercising their students' general and higher order thinking skills. They build on Brennan and Resnick's (2012) framework by including conceptualization as an important element in students' computational work and highlight the role of predictive thinking in debugging code. Findings support historical arguments that more needs to be done to investigate students' cognitive processes when undertaking computational work.

Since their introduction in 2010, much has been said and written about Apple's iPad (Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA, USA) and its potential to transform when and how students learn. Much of this hype has focused on attributes of the device such as its touch screen interface, light and portable form factor, easy-to-use operating system, and large array of apps. Emerging studies mainly report positive outcomes for students from using iPads in specific learning situations. These studies have cited enhanced motivation and learner engagement, often linking this with improved learning outcomes. However, there is a dearth of research exploring how students interact with these devices, and the factors that affect the quality and learning value from that interaction. This article reports on the use of an innovative recording solution to capture video and audio data of young students using iPads to develop literacy, numeracy and problem-solving/decision-making skills. The study offers insights into how students go about solving problems within apps, and highlights the importance of knowledge, affective and dispositional elements, and good app design to profitable interaction. It also flags considerations for teachers embarking on initiatives involving iPads, and suggests app developers need to work more closely with teachers to improve the learning value of their products.

Since their introduction in 2010, much has been said and written about Apple's iPad (Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA, USA) and its potential to transform when and how students learn. Much of this hype has focused on attributes of the device such as its touch screen interface, light and portable form factor, easy-to-use operating system, and large array of apps. Emerging studies mainly report positive outcomes for students from using iPads in specific learning situations. These studies have cited enhanced motivation and learner engagement, often linking this with improved learning outcomes. However, there is a dearth of research exploring how students interact with these devices, and the factors that affect the quality and learning value from that interaction. This article reports on the use of an innovative recording solution to capture video and audio data of young students using iPads to develop literacy, numeracy and problem-solving/ decision-making skills. The study offers insights into how students go about solving problems within apps, and highlights the importance of knowledge, affective and dispositional elements, and good app design to profitable interaction. It also flags considerations for teachers embarking on initiatives involving iPads, and suggests app developers need to work more closely with teachers to improve the learning value of their products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since their introduction in 2010, much has been said and written about Apple's iPad (Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA, USA) and its potential to transform when and how students learn. Much of this hype has focused on attributes of the device such as its touch screen interface, light and portable form factor, easy-to-use operating system, and large array of apps. Emerging studies mainly report positive outcomes for students from using iPads in specific learning situations. These studies have cited enhanced motivation and learner engagement, often linking this with improved learning outcomes. However, there is a dearth of research exploring how students interact with these devices, and the factors that affect the quality and learning value from that interaction. This article reports on the use of an innovative recording solution to capture video and audio data of young students using iPads to develop literacy, numeracy and problem-solving/ decision-making skills. The study offers insights into how students go about solving problems within apps, and highlights the importance of knowledge, affective and dispositional elements, and good app design to profitable interaction. It also flags considerations for teachers embarking on initiatives involving iPads, and suggests app developers need to work more closely with teachers to improve the learning value of their products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]