Academic Journal
Enhancing computational thinking in early childhood: A cluster-randomized controlled trial of interactive STEM app intervention and the role of engagement.
| Τίτλος: | Enhancing computational thinking in early childhood: A cluster-randomized controlled trial of interactive STEM app intervention and the role of engagement. |
|---|---|
| Συγγραφείς: | Wang Y; School of Marxism, Tangshan Normal University, Tangshan, Hebei, China., Liu S; School of Economics and Management, North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, Hebei, China. |
| Πηγή: | PloS one [PLoS One] 2026 Oct 09; Vol. 21 (10), pp. e0353980. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Oct 09 (Print Publication: 2026). |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Public Library of Science Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101285081 Publication Model: eCollection Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1932-6203 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 19326203 NLM ISO Abbreviation: PLoS One Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: San Francisco, CA : Public Library of Science |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Mathematics*/education , Mobile Applications* , Thinking*, Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; China ; Learning |
| Περίληψη: | This cluster-randomized controlled trial investigated whether a 12-week interactive STEM app intervention enhances computational thinking skills among young children aged 4-6 years and whether app usage engagement predicts learning outcomes. Ten classrooms from five kindergartens in Northern China were randomly assigned within each kindergarten to an intervention condition (5 classrooms, 125 children) that received structured app-based activities three times weekly or a waitlist control condition (5 classrooms, 125 children) that continued with traditional educational practices. Computational thinking was assessed at pretest and posttest using the TechCheck-K, a validated assessment designed for young children that does not require prior coding knowledge. App usage engagement was quantified through a multidimensional composite index capturing task completion, time on task, persistence, help-seeking efficiency, navigation independence, self-correction, and attendance. After controlling for baseline ability and demographics, children in the intervention group demonstrated significantly greater computational thinking gains than controls, with a small-to-moderate effect size of Cohen's d = 0.39. Within the intervention group, higher engagement significantly predicted superior posttest performance, although the unique variance explained was modest (approximately 1.5% beyond baseline ability and demographic characteristics) and the relationship is specific to the intervention context. These findings provide evidence that interactive STEM apps can enhance early computational thinking development when implemented systematically, and the main intervention effect was robust to mixed-effects sensitivity analyses accounting for clustering at both the kindergarten and classroom levels. Engagement emerged as a statistically significant, though practically modest, predictor of technology-based learning outcomes within the intervention context, underscoring the potential importance of fostering active, persistent interaction with educational technologies without overstating its standalone contribution. Implications for early childhood education practice, app design, and technology integration are discussed. (Copyright: © 2026 Wang, Liu. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.) |
| Competing Interests: | NO authors have competing interests. |
| References: | J Educ Psychol. 2019 Feb;111(2):284-298. (PMID: 30774149) Multivariate Behav Res. 2016 Jul-Aug;51(4):495-518. (PMID: 27269278) Psychol Sci Public Interest. 2015 May;16(1):3-34. (PMID: 25985468) Front Psychol. 2022 Dec 07;13:1049694. (PMID: 36571007) BMJ. 2012 Sep 04;345:e5661. (PMID: 22951546) Heliyon. 2024 Apr 30;10(10):e30482. (PMID: 38778958) Front Psychol. 2024 Feb 06;14:1334195. (PMID: 38379841) Pediatrics. 2020 Jan;145(1):. (PMID: 31871246) Heliyon. 2024 Apr 30;10(9):e29831. (PMID: 38742079) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20261009 Date Completed: 20261009 Latest Revision: 20261013 |
| Update Code: | 20261013 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC13652235 |
| DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0353980 |
| PMID: | 42853818 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 1932-6203 |
|---|---|
| DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0353980 |