Skip to main content
Book cover

Annual Conference of the Southern African Computer Lecturers' Association

SACLA 2022: ICT Education pp 75–90Cite as

Guidelines for Introducing Learners to Computer Programming in a Developing Country

  • 65 Accesses

Part of the Communications in Computer and Information Science book series (CCIS,volume 1664)

Abstract

The South African government has committed to the implementation of coding and robotics teaching in primary schools. This vision faces the challenge that 16,000 schools in the country do not have computer laboratories, and that most teachers are not trained to teach coding. To address this reality, the TANKS mobile app was developed at Nelson Mandela University in South Africa. It introduces introductory coding concepts without the need for a computer. The scope of the project has broadened since its initiation in 2017. Originally learners were introduced to the game, and each received a game pack. Currently coding kits with various additional resources are made available to schools, mostly after teachers are trained. Based on the evolvement of the project, generic guidelines for the introduction of computer programming in schools, are provided as the main contribution. These guidelines identify the tools to be used here, how to make the project financially sustainable, alternative methods to traditional teaching, as well as the role of training for this kind of coding instruction.

Keywords

  • Unplugged coding
  • Children coding
  • Coding tools
  • Disadvantaged schools

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-21076-1_5
  • Chapter length: 16 pages
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
eBook
USD   59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-3-031-21076-1
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Softcover Book
USD   74.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Learn about institutional subscriptions
Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.

References

  1. Adams, T.: An Investigation into the Facilitation of a Coding Tournament Across Different Venues, Using TANKS as a Case Study. Honours Treatise, Nelson Mandela University (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Batteson, B.: Investigation and Development of an Inexpensive Educational Tool Suite for an Introduction to Programming. Honours Treatise, Nelson Mandela University (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Buljan, M.: Gamification for Learning: Strategies and Examples (2021). www.elearningindustry.com. Accessed 4 Aug 2022

  4. Bush, K.: TANKS Lesson Plans. Hudson Park Primary School, East London (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bush, K.: Laying good foundations – coding concepts in the early years. CODING UNPLUGGED Series, 3 February 2021 (2021a). www.yeees-project.org. Accessed 1 Mar 2021

  6. Bush, K.: Computational Thinking Lesson Ideas. Hudson Park Primary School, East London (2021b)

    Google Scholar 

  7. BusinessTech: Here’s how many South African schools don’t have the internet or a computer lab – and what it will cost to fix the problem, 18 July 2018 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Catapult Learning: Why All Students Should Learn How to Code in Elementary School (2016). https://catapultlearning.com/2016/09/29/students-learn-code-elementary-school/. Accessed 3 Aug 2021

  9. David, K., Triona, L.M., Williams, C.: Hands on what? The relative effectiveness of physical versus virtual materials in an engineering design project by middle school children. Cognition 43(2), 1086–1109 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Department of Basic Education: Proposed Ammendment to the Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) to make provision for Coding and Robotics Grades R to 9 (2021). https://www.education.gov.za. Accessed 3 Aug 2021

  11. Gibson, K.: Developing Problem Solving Skills Informally. CODING UNPLUGGED Series, 24 February 2021 (2021a). www.yeees-project.org. Accessed 1 Mar 2021

  12. Gibson, K.: Fun Computational Thinking. Collegiate Girls’ High, Gqeberha (2021b)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Greyling, J.: Expanding Career Horizons in Rural Eastern Cape. Published on LinkedIn, December 2020 (2020a)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Greyling, J.: From TANKS in Grade 7 .. to a Computer Science PhD in the Future, March 2022 (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Haasbroek, F., Ungerer, M.: Theory versus practise: assessing reward-based crowdfunding theory through a South African case study. South Afr. J. Bus. Manag. (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Horn, M.: Tangible Programming in the Class with Tern (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Kuli, S., Greyling, J., Stubbs, M.: TANKS and BOATS coding apps – indigenous tools bring coding and robotics to learners in disadvantaged school. In: SAASTEC Conferences, George, November 2019 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Makoena, S.: Unplugged coding tools. CODING UNPLUGGED Series, 10 February 2021 (2021). www.yeees-project.org. Accessed 1 Mar 2021

  19. Malonde, Z.: Eastern Cape Pupils Shine in Coding Contest. The Herald, 29 July 2020 (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Marshall, P.: Do tangible interfaces enhance learning? TEI 2007, 163–170 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Oosthuizen, L.: The need for computational thinking skills in the teaching and learning of coding. CODING UNPLUGGED Series, 17 February 2021 (2021). www.yeees-project.org. Accessed 1 Mar 2021

  22. Papert, S.: Mindstorms: children, computers and powerful ideas (1980). https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.004

  23. Piaget, J.: The Origins of Intelligence in Children. New York: International Universties Press (1952a)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Piaget, J.: When thinking begins. In: The Origins of Intelligence in Children, pp. 25–36. International Universties Press, New York (1952b)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Piaget, J.: Intellectual evolution from adolescence to adulthood. Hum. Dev. 15(1), 1–12 (1972)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  26. Preller, C.: Coding ignites Madiba magic (2022). https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/coding-ignites-madiba-magic-jean-greyling. Accessed 4 Aug 2022

  27. Sun, R.: City of Johannesburg celebrates coding by awarding skilled learners. Randburg Sun, 24 October 2019 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Resnick, M., et al.: Scratch: programming for all. Commun. ACM 52(11), 60–67 (2009)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  29. Rogers, Y., Scaife, M., Gabrielli, S., Smith, H., Harris, E.: A conceptual framework for mixed reality environments: designing novel learning activities for young children. Presence: Teleoper. Virt. Environ. 11(6), 677–686 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  30. Suzuki, H., Kato, H.: AlgoBlock: a tangible programming language, a tool for collaborative learning. In: Proceedings of 4th European Logo Conference, June 2016, pp. 297–303 (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Tada, K., Tanaka, J.: Tangible programming environment using paper cards as command objects. Proc. Manuf. 3(AHFE), 5482–5489 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2015.07.693

  32. The Conversation: Coding in South African schools: what needs to happen to make it work, 31 July 2019 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Vygotsky, L.S.: Play and its role in the mental development of the child. Sov. Psychol. 5(3), 6–18 (1967)

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  34. Wing, J.: Computational thinking. Commun. ACM (CACM) 49(3), 33–35 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1145/1118178.1118215

  35. Willemse, N.: Coding without computers reaches thousands of learners. Mail and Guardian, 22 November 2019 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  36. YEEES: Yields of Evocative Entrepreneurial Approaches on Environment and Society (2021). https://yeees-project.org/

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computing Sciences, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

    Jean H. Greyling

Authors
  1. Jean H. Greyling
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jean H. Greyling .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

    Richard J. Barnett

  2. Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

    Daniel B. le Roux

  3. Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

    Douglas A. Parry

  4. Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

    Bruce W. Watson

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Greyling, J.H. (2022). Guidelines for Introducing Learners to Computer Programming in a Developing Country. In: Barnett, R.J., le Roux, D.B., Parry, D.A., Watson, B.W. (eds) ICT Education. SACLA 2022. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1664. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21076-1_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21076-1_5

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-21075-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-21076-1

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)