“And what do you think is inside a computer?”: Exploring 6–9 Graders’ Preconceptions about Computer Functionality

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68081740%3A_____%2F25%3A00639521" target="_blank" >RIV/68081740:_____/25:00639521 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3769853" target="_blank" >https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3769853</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3769853" target="_blank" >10.1145/3769853</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

“And what do you think is inside a computer?”: Exploring 6–9 Graders’ Preconceptions about Computer Functionality

Original language description

Children encounter computers daily, but how do they understand what happens inside these machines? Existing literature has not examined children’s preconceptions about computer principles sufficiently. Hence, we conducted a mixed-methods study (# = 53, =6¸76A034B = 29, =8¸96A034B = 24) in diverse regions of the Czech Republic with the aim of identifying the said preconceptions. We used 45-min-long semi-structured interviews and conducted an inductive thematic analysis, and identified 103 preconceptions, 90 of which have never been described in the literature previously. Based on their occurrence, we performed a two-step cluster analysis with automatic cluster detection, identifying three participant groups based on their knowledge level: experts, intermediates, and beginners. Experts comprehended the most abstract concepts, such as the interaction between RAM and the processor and the existence of different types of memory. Intermediates understood some abstract concepts, while beginner participants lacked understanding of most abstract concepts and viewed the computer as a magical black box. Our research significantly expands the number of identified preconceptions about computer principles. This could serve as a valuable basis for developing evidence-based, constructivist teaching materials and practices, addressing a gap that exists in many education systems.

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

50101 - Psychology (including human - machine relations)

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

ACM Transactions on Computing Education

ISSN

1946-6226

e-ISSN

1946-6226

Volume of the periodical

26

Issue of the periodical within the volume

1

Country of publishing house

US - UNITED STATES

Number of pages

31

Pages from-to

8

UT code for WoS article

001676162000001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105029740375