Pre-Service Information Technologies Teachers' Views on Computer Programming Tools for K-12 Level

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to analyze pre-service IT teachers' views on seminar which is supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) related to current methodologies and tools in K-12 computer programming education. The study sample consisted of 44 pre-service IT teachers who study as 3rd or 4th undergraduate program at Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology in 21 different universities. The data is collected through a Students’ Perceptions about Kid’s Programming Language Questionnaire consisting of 27 five-point Likert-type items, grouped under three factors. The collected quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as means, standard deviations. The results of the study indicated that almost all visual programming tools have positive effects on students’ views, Small Basic is not as effective as other tools. It is due to this situation that Small Basic tool is text-based in contrast to the other block-based features.