Planning and implementing coding in the junior classroom for competency and thinking-skill development

Recent moves within New Zealand and internationally have called for the inclusion of computational learning through activities such as coding, in school curricula. However, including activities such as coding in school curricula is a bold move, and one that will require significant support if it is to successfully achieve its goals. This article reports on outcomes from the first year of a TLRI-supported study exploring how teachers planned and integrated coding into their numeracy programme, and the types of thinking students employed when completing coding tasks. Findings suggest that coding can provide teachers with an effective means of exercising an array of general and higher order thinking skills and learning competencies with their students, but careful attention needs to be given to the planning and systematic implementation of these activities. The article concludes with a series of recommendations for teachers considering exploring coding in the classroom.