Şermin Metin

Bu çalışma, özellikle erken çocukluk yıllarında öğrenmeye ilişkin yaklaşımlarda yaşanan kuramsal ve pratik dönüşümü odağına almaktadır. Erken çocukluk dönemi, bireyin bilişsel, sosyal-duygusal ve dil gelişiminin en hızlı gerçekleştiği; öğrenmeye yönelik tutum ve becerilerin temellendiği kritik bir evredir. Bu nedenle, bu dönemde benimsenen öğrenme yaklaşımlarının niteliği, çocuğun yaşam boyu öğrenme sürecini doğrudan etkilemektedir. Günümüzde erken çocukluk eğitiminde, bilgi aktarımına dayalı geleneksel modellerin yerini, çocuğun aktif katılımını, araştırma ve keşfetme isteğini destekleyen daha etkileşimli ve esnek yaklaşımlar almaktadır. Bu bağlamda yapılandırmacı ve inşacı öğrenme kuramları, erken çocukluk döneminde öğrenmenin doğasını anlamada temel bir çerçeve sunmaktadır. Çalışma, öğrenme yaklaşımlarının tarihsel gelişimini inceleyerek, özellikle bilişsel temelli bir kuram olan yapılandırmacı öğrenme yaklaşımının eğitimdeki yeri, önemi ve geçirdiği dönüşümü kapsamlı biçimde ele almaktadır. Yapılandırmacı yaklaşım, bireyin bilgiyi kendi yaşantıları ve deneyimleri aracılığıyla yapılandırdığını savunarak, öğrenenin pasif bilgi alıcısı değil, aktif bir bilgi üreticisi olduğunu vurgular. Bu anlayış, dijital çağın sunduğu imkânlarla birlikte paradigma değişimi geçirerek daha çağdaş ve işlevsel bir boyut kazanmış; bireyin sadece bilgiyi alan değil, aynı zamanda dijital araçlarla bilgi üreten, paylaşan ve yeniden inşa eden bir özneye dönüştüğü inşacı (constructivist) yaklaşıma everilmiştir. Bu dönüşüm, özellikle tasarım temelli öğrenme süreçleriyle daha da pekişmektedir. Tasarım süreci; problem çözme, yaratıcılık, eleştirel düşünme ve deneme-yanılma gibi becerileri destekleyerek, bireyin öğrenme sürecine aktif katılımını sağlamaktadır. Öğrencinin gerçek yaşamla ilişkili, çok adımlı ve açık uçlu görevlerle karşılaştığı bu süreçler, bilgiyi anlamlı biçimde yeniden yapılandırmasını mümkün kılmaktadır. İnşacılık ve tasarım temelli öğrenme yaklaşımlarının bütünleşmesi, çocuklar için gelişimsel olarak uygun bir öğrenme yaşantısı sunmanın yanında onların potansiyelini açığa çıkaran yenilikçi bir öğrenme ortamı oluşturmaktadır. Sonuç olarak, bu çalışma, yapılandırmacı öğrenme yaklaşımının dijital çağda geçirdiği dönüşümü inşacı bir perspektifle ele almakta ve bu dönüşümün özellikle tasarım temelli öğrenme süreçleriyle nasıl pekiştiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Bu bağlamda, tasarım süreciyle bütünleşen inşacı yaklaşımlar, erken çocukluk döneminde gelişimsel olarak uygun, yaratıcı ve katılımcı öğrenme ortamları sunarak çocukların bilişsel, sosyal-duygusal ve dil gelişimlerini desteklemekte; aynı zamanda onların yaşam boyu öğrenme süreçlerine yön veren kritik bir paradigma oluşturmaktadır.

This research investigates the psychometric properties of the Early Childhood Engineering Design Test (EDTEC), a tool developed to assess children’s engineering design skills. Within the scope of the study, the cognitive processes underlying engineering design are conceptualised in terms of verbal, numerical, and visual-spatial thinking. The scale development study was conducted with 1,410 children aged 5–7 years attending 15 preschools at various socioeconomic levels. “Early Childhood Engineering Design Test”, “Problem Solving Scale (PST)”, and “Cognitive Ability Test (CAT)” were used as data collection tools in the study. During the scale development process, the validity of the scope was examined within the scope of validity studies. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed for construct validity. Age, PST, and CAT measurement tools were used to determine the criterion validity of the scale. The scale’s reliability was determined using Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest methods. As a result of the analysis, the three-factor structure of the scale was confirmed, and it accounted for 39% of the total variance. Reliability coefficients for sub-dimensions. It ranges from 70 to 0.86. As a result of the test-retest, the Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.99 in the sub-dimensions of verbal thinking and numerical thinking; in the visuospatial sub-dimension, it was obtained as 0.98. According to the criteria validity results, it was observed that there was no significant relationship between PST and EDTEC. It has been revealed that the engineering design process differs from general problem-solving. In addition, analyses of the relationship between EDTEC and CAT revealed a partial overlap of cognitive structures between VT and VST, with a weak but positive correlation. This shows that engineering design involves cognitive abilities but has a distinct structure. The findings suggest that the scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool, which can be used effectively to assess children’s engineering design skills. The findings of this study provide an important tool for assessing engineering design skills in early childhood and for integrating these skills into educational programs. It can also guide the development of educational policies to support engineering and design-based learning processes from an early age.

COVID-19, which emerged in 2019 and spread rapidly worldwide, affected all individuals socially and emotionally. It is thought that children in the age of rapid development who are more open to environmental effects are more affected by this situation. It is essential to determine the views and perceptions of children regarding this process. Therefore, this study examines how children make sense of COVID-19 and the quarantine process. The study group consists of 100 children between the ages of 5 and 6 living in Gaziantep, Turkey. It was carried out in the phenomenological method, one of the qualitative research methods. In the research, data were collected through interviews and document analysis. Children's drawings and interviews with them were analyzed through content analysis. The findings obtained from the study revealed that children's drawings and views were similar; children perceived COVID-19 as unfavorable and had negative emotions. It was seen that they reflected their views and feelings about their family relations, emotional states, and how they spent the quarantine process during the quarantine process.

This review article aims to introduce the Positive Technological Development (PTD) framework in the context of existing literature. The paper provides a theoretical explanation of how the PTD approach can be used in the teaching-learning process. The dimensions and components of the PTD framework are outlined. The paper discusses the multifaceted relationship between technological developments and educational environments and offers suggestions on how technology can be used most effectively to make individual and societal contributions. The PTD framework is presented as a rational approach to using technology to support positive development in children, promoting creativity, critical thinking and social engagement while reducing negative impacts. The study emphasizes the importance of integrating technology into educational settings to support positive development and improve learning outcomes and advocates for the thoughtful and developmentally appropriate design of digital experiences for children.

The domain of early childhood education has witnessed an increasing emphasis on developing coding and computational thinking (CT) abilities. Scholarly investigations have delved into appropriate approaches for enhancing these proficiencies within early childhood classrooms. The present study aims to investigate the impact of a digital story design program, or Design-Based Digital Story Program (DBDS), on the coding and CT skills of 5-year-old children. Specifically designed for children aged 3–6, the DBDS program aligns with constructivism principles, which promote experiential learning. Employing a case–control quasi-experimental design, the study employed pre-intervention and post-intervention assessments and a follow-up retest after one month. The intervention involved implementing the digital story design program over 11 weeks, with three sessions per week, each lasting between 60 to 90 min, targeting five-year-old participants. The findings reveal that the DBDS program significantly enhances CT and coding skills compared to a control group. Moreover, female participants exhibited more significant improvements in CT skills post-intervention than their male counterparts, while no significant gender-based effects were observed in coding skills. These findings suggest that the DBDS program effectively supports the cultivation of coding and CT abilities among young children, warranting further exploration in diverse educational settings and across various grade levels.

The growing significance of coding in 21st-century early childhood education extends beyond technical proficiency, encompassing cognitive development, problem-solving, and creativity. Coding is being integrated globally into educational curricula to prepare students for the digital era. This research examines coding’s potential impact on cognitive and socio-emotional development and emphasizes the need for evidence-based analysis. A meta-thematic analysis synthesizes qualitative data from various studies in a study on coding’s effects on preschool children’s cognitive and socio-emotional development. It focuses on two themes: cognitive contributions and socio-emotional contributions. Thirteen suitable studies were identified from 942 visualized using the PRISMA flow diagram. Coding education enhances cognitive and socio-emotional skills in preschoolers, with implications for curriculum integration. In summary, coding’s holistic benefits in early childhood education are explored, and a meta-thematic analysis investigates its influence on cognitive and socio-emotional domains in preschoolers, emphasizing the need for rigorous evidence-based research.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of project approach-based education on cognitive abilities and scientific process skills of six-years children. A pretest-posttest-retention test control group quasi- experimental design was implemented in this study. Two kindergartens were involved, determined by simple random sampling and with similar features according to teacher and director views. In order to collect data, General Information Form, Cognitive Ability Test Form-6 to identify children's cognitive abilities, and Scientific Process Skills Test were utilized. At the end of this study, it was found that the project approach-based education administered caused a significant difference in cognitive ability and scientific process skills in favor of the experimental group of children and had a middle effect size. The difference between the post-test and retain test mean scores of the children in the experimental group were insignificant, and the effect of the applied education continued.

The purpose of this research is to examine the coding skills of five-year-old children in terms of some variables. The research sample comprises 160 children aged five years studying in kindergarten affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in Gaziantep city center in the 2021-2022 academic year. As a data collection tool in the research, the “personal information form,” which includes personal information about children and their parents, and “CodingTest 2”, the short form of “CodingTest” and “CodingTest,” developed by Kalyenci et al. (2022), were used to evaluate the coding skill levels of five-year-old children. Pearson correlation analysis, t-test, and ANOVA were used to analyze data. As a result of the findings obtained from the research, it was concluded that coding skills were not related to gender but were related to whether the children had coding education, the education level of parents, and their families’ income level.