Results of the pilot project — CS Unplugged
Educational project of the Hi-Tech Park for preschool institutions

Results of the pilot project

The subject area of the pilot project “Computer science unplugged”  is connected with the use of thinking operations, logical operations, the ability to make generalizations, to categorize subjects according to common features; to find an “extra” subject and explaining one’s choice.

Therefore, within the project implemented in 2019/2020 it was crucial to identify the results for the diagnostics of the mastering of the educational program of psychodiagnostic techniques, which are studying the thinking operations.

The organizers of the project have recommended the use of the following  teaching materials:

·        ‘The most unlike’ technique (A. L. Venger);

·        Thinking test "Identification of patterns" (B. I. Pinsky);

·        Kogan test;

·        ‘Maze’ technique.

The choice of these methods was based on such criteria as correspondence of the test content to the test’s goals, the significance of the studied operations in the general knowledge system, the scientific reliability of the tested knowledge, their compliance with the level of development of modern science, and the representativeness of the test. During the methods selection stage, not only age characteristics were taken into account.

These methods have served as a basis for evaluating the results of the pilot project “Computer science unplugged”, particularly, in context of the ideas and knowledge, which should have been formed according to the educational program.

Within the pilot project, the diagnostics of students was carried out twice during the school year. The first time – in the beginning of the school year (starting diagnostics), the second time – at the end of the school year (final diagnostics). The survey for children was organized in the control group (140 people) and the experimental group (150 people). The control group consisted of children who didn’t attend the course “Computer science unplugged”. The experimental group consisted of children who attended the course “Computer science unplugged”.

Here are the results:

Венгер.png

‘The most unlike’ technique (Vegner) allowed to define the formation dynamic of analysis operation, comparison and generalization of features.

There has been a positive dynamic in control and experimental groups, which demonstrated an increase in the number of children with an average level of development and a decrease in children with an average and low levels of development of logical operations.

Thus, in the experimental group, the number of children with a high level of formation of operations of analysis, comparison and generalization of signs increased by 2.3 times due to a decrease in almost 2 times in the number of children with an average level and distribution of children at two levels of formation - average and high (with the absence of low).

In the control group the dynamic grew up by 2 times within the children with high level, the number of kids with average level didn’t really change, but children with low level are still in the group (4.3%).

In the experimental group nearly ¾ children demonstrate high level of development of the analysis operations, comparison and generalization of features, focusing on all the signs of subjects, enumerating  them, and ¼ children  has an average level.

In the control group, more than half of the children (53.6%) have a low and medium level of development of analysis operations, comparison and generalization of signs and when choosing objects are guided by 1–2 features.

Differences in the average and low levels of formation of analysis operations, comparison and generalization of signs in the experimental group are significantly higher than those in the control group.

Thinking test “Identification of patterns” (B.I.Pinsky)

September 2019

The number of children according to level

Control group

The number of children according to level

Experimental group

High level

49

35.0%

High level

71

47.3%

Average level

71

50.7%

Average level

65

43.3%

Low level

20

14.3%

Low level

14

9.3%

  


May 2020

The number of children according to level

Control group

The number of children according to level

Experimental group

High level

82

58.6%

High level

120

80.0%

Average level

54

38.6%

Average level

30

20.0%

Low level

4

2.9%

Low level

0

-

  

The methodology “Identification of patterns” (the methodology developed by B.I.Pinsky) is aimed at identifying the level of formation of the generalization operation.

In the control and experimental groups, positive dynamics have been shown by a 1.7-fold increase in the number of children with a high level of formation of the generalization operation.

The number of children with a low and medium level of formation of the generalization operation in the groups was distributed in different ways.

So, there are no children with a low level of formation of the generalization operation in the experimental group and the number of children with an average level has decreased by 2 times. In the control group, a small percentage of children with a low level of formation of the generalization operation (2.9%) remained and the number of children with an average level decreased by 1.3 times.

1/5 (20%) of children in the experimental group can establish patterns, making minor mistakes.

In the experimental group, 80% of all children demonstrate a high level of formation of the generalization operation, while in the control group this indicator has been reached only by 59% of all the children. 

Kogan test

September 2019

The number of children according to level

Control group

The number of children according to level

Experimental group

High level

52

37.1%

High level

70

46.7%

Average level

72

51.4%

Average level

63

42.0%

Low level

16

11.4%

Low level

17

11.3%

  

May 2020

The number of children according to level

Control group

The number of children according to level

Experimental group

High level

72

51.4%

High level

119

79.3%

Average level

66

47.1%

Average level

31

20.7%

Low level

2

1.4%

Low level

0

-


The "Kogan Test" methodology has made it possible to study the distribution, switching off attention, and the characteristics of the pupils' efficiency.

Positive dynamics associated with an increase in the number of children with a high level of formation of attention features can be traced both in the experimental group (increase by 1.7 times) and in the control group (increase by 1.3 times).

In the experimental group, there have been no children with a low level, although a small percentage (1.4%) of such children remained in the control group.

 

The “Maze” technique

September 2019

The number of children according to level

Control group

The number of children according to level

Experimental group

High level

41

29.3%

High level

58

38.7%

Average level

61

43.6%

Average level

54

36.0%

Low level

38

27.1%

Low level

38

25.3%

 

May 2020

The number of children according to level

Control group

The number of children according to level

Experimental group

High level

56

40.0%

High level

102

68.0%

Average level

73

52.1%

Average level

48

32.0%

Low level

11

7.9%

Low level

0

-

 

The “Maze” technique is aimed at identifying the level of formation of visual-schematic thinking (the ability to use diagrams and conventional  images during orientation in a situation).

The nature of changes in the distribution of pupils according to the levels of formation of visual-schematic thinking allows us to speak of positive shifts in the experimental group, as shown in an increase in the proportion of children with a high level (1.8 times) and the complete absence of children with a low level of formation.

The positive dynamics in the control group is less expressed - the number of children with a high level of formation of visual-schematic thinking increased by 1.4 times, the number of children with an average level increased by 1.2 times, but the group of children with a low level of formation remained, which is 7.9%.

By means of analyzing the results of the final research of children in the control and experimental groups, we can come to the following conclusions:

The results of the research of students by four indicators:

1) the formation of procedures of analysis, comparison and generalization of features;

2) the formation of the generalization procedures;

3) capacities of attention: distribution, switching of attention, peculiarities of pupils' working capacity;

4) the formation of visual-schematic thinking (the ability to use diagrams and conventional images when orienting in a situation),

allow to note that upon completion of targeted training in the experimental group, there is a steady tendency towards an increase of more than 1.5 times  of children with a high level of development of indicators, in some cases the increase is more than 2 times ( during procedures of analysis, synthesis, generalization). This is due to the transition of children with average and low levels to the next levels.

In the experimental group, there are no children with a low level of formation of indicators based on the results of training.

During training, the students of the experimental group develop the most intensive logical mind and attention, which is demonstrated by the fact that more than 70% of students fully implement the procedures of analysis, synthesis, generalization, their attention is being characterized by distribution, high switching speed, they can concentrate and focus their attention on solving the problem for a long time.

Changes in the formation of the qualities of algorithmic mind also allow us to note that 2/3 of the students can correlate two parameters in detail and at the same time and have spatial representations sufficient enough and dismembered. 1/3 of the students are able to get oriented by one or two.