Date of Conferral

12-10-2025

Date of Award

December 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Education

Advisor

Darci Harland

Abstract

The power of play has often been used in K–5 classrooms, but it has not always been implemented as a way to teach computational thinking skills. The use of educational robots such as Sphero have been explored, but not with young learners. The research problem addressed through this study was the lack of understanding of K–5 teachers’ experiences in using Sphero robots to teach computational thinking. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore K-5 teachers’ experiences in implementing Sphero robot activities and specifically to teach computational thinking. The conceptual framework included Magana’s T3 model and Angeli’s computational thinking framework. Eight K–5 teachers recruited across the U.S. with different levels of experience implementing Sphero robots to teach computational thinking were interviewed. Multiple rounds of coding were conducted using thematic analysis. Study findings showed that teachers used technology in transformational ways to navigate technical challenges that leveraged curiosity with student autonomy, and used robots for guided play that led to algorithmic thinking. Teachers used robots to teach computational thinking skills such as debugging in environments where failure, reflection, and interaction were integral. This study may influence social change as stakeholders make decisions on ways robots might be used as educational tools to motivate young students and develop their computational thinking skills. Results may also be used to inform the role robots might have in early grades, and better support teachers to implement them more successfully, providing purposeful early exposure to computational thinking that may benefit more children through robots and play.

Download

Share

 
COinS