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research-article

Teaching graph algorithms to children of all ages

Author:

J. Paul GibsonAuthors Info & Claims

ITiCSE '12: Proceedings of the 17th ACM annual conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education

Pages 34 - 39

https://doi.org/10.1145/2325296.2325308

Published: 03 July 2012 Publication History

Abstract

We report on our experiences in teaching graph theory and algorithms to school children, aged 5 to 17. Our objectives were to demonstrate that children can discover quite complex mathematical concepts, and are able to work with abstractions and use computation reasoning from quite an early age. We provide details of our incremental approach, which can be used with students of a wide range of abilities. Also, we comment on the importance of problem based learning where the algorithms are presented as possible solutions to games or puzzles. Finally, we conclude with a number of important observations with regard to the introduction of computer science into schools.

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Cited By

Chen HBraught KHerman GErickson JStone JYuen TShoop LRebelsky SPrather J(2025)Novice Difficulties in Graph Layering for Algorithm DesignProceedings of the 56th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 210.1145/3641555.3705221(1415-1416)Online publication date: 18-Feb-2025
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3641555.3705221
Metin ŞBaşaran MSeheryeli MRelkin EKalyenci D(2024)Adaptation of the Computational Thinking Skills Assessment Tool (TechCheck-K) in Early ChildhoodJournal of Science Education and Technology10.1007/s10956-023-10089-233:3(365-382)Online publication date: 2-Jan-2024
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-023-10089-2
Metin ŞKalyenci DBaşaran MRelkin EBilir B(2024)Design-Based Digital Story Program: Enhancing Coding and Computational Thinking Skills in Early Childhood EducationEarly Childhood Education Journal10.1007/s10643-024-01728-3Online publication date: 23-Aug-2024
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01728-3
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Index Terms

Teaching graph algorithms to children of all ages
1. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing education
      1. Computing education programs
        Computer science education

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Information

Published In

cover image ACM Conferences

ITiCSE '12: Proceedings of the 17th ACM annual conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education

July 2012

424 pages

ISBN:9781450312462

DOI:10.1145/2325296

Conference Chairs:
Tami Lapidot
Technion, Israel
,
Judith Gal-Ezer
The Open University, Israel
,
Program Chairs:
Michael E. Caspersen
Aarhus University, Denmark
,
Orit Hazzan
Technion, Israel

Copyright © 2012 ACM.

Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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Bilkent University: Bilkent University
SIGCSE: ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 03 July 2012

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ITiCSE '12

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Bilkent University
SIGCSE

ITiCSE '12: Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education

July 3 - 5, 2012

Haifa, Israel

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Overall Acceptance Rate 552 of 1,613 submissions, 34%

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Cited By

Chen HBraught KHerman GErickson JStone JYuen TShoop LRebelsky SPrather J(2025)Novice Difficulties in Graph Layering for Algorithm DesignProceedings of the 56th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 210.1145/3641555.3705221(1415-1416)Online publication date: 18-Feb-2025
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3641555.3705221
Metin ŞBaşaran MSeheryeli MRelkin EKalyenci D(2024)Adaptation of the Computational Thinking Skills Assessment Tool (TechCheck-K) in Early ChildhoodJournal of Science Education and Technology10.1007/s10956-023-10089-233:3(365-382)Online publication date: 2-Jan-2024
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-023-10089-2
Metin ŞKalyenci DBaşaran MRelkin EBilir B(2024)Design-Based Digital Story Program: Enhancing Coding and Computational Thinking Skills in Early Childhood EducationEarly Childhood Education Journal10.1007/s10643-024-01728-3Online publication date: 23-Aug-2024
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01728-3
Leung SWu JLi JLam YNg O(2024)Examining Young Children’s Computational Thinking through Animation ArtEarly Childhood Education Journal10.1007/s10643-024-01694-wOnline publication date: 11-Jun-2024
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-024-01694-w
Başaran MMetin ŞVural Ö(2024)Meta-thematic synthesis of research on early childhood coding education: A comprehensive reviewEducation and Information Technologies10.1007/s10639-024-12675-229:16(20795-20822)Online publication date: 1-Nov-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s10639-024-12675-2
Lin YLiao HWeng SDong W(2024)Comparing the effects of plugged-in and unplugged activities on computational thinking development in young childrenEducation and Information Technologies10.1007/s10639-023-12181-x29:8(9541-9574)Online publication date: 1-Jun-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s10639-023-12181-x
Mulyati M(2023)Tren dan Pengembangan Keterampilan Berpikir Komputasional Anak Usia Dini pada Abad 21: Perspektif TeoretisJurnal Obsesi : Jurnal Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini10.31004/obsesi.v7i4.40057:4(4155-4165)Online publication date: 14-Aug-2023
https://doi.org/10.31004/obsesi.v7i4.4005
Friebroon-Yesharim MBen-Bassat Levy RArmoni M(2023)Algorithmic Abstraction in Computer Science Curricula for Primary Schools: The Case of a National Curriculum for 4th GradeProceedings of the 2023 Conference on United Kingdom & Ireland Computing Education Research10.1145/3610969.3611154(1-7)Online publication date: 7-Sep-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3610969.3611154
Venigalla AChimalakonda SChoppella VPhatak DLuxton-Reilly ACraig M(2023)FlowARP - Using Augmented Reality for Visualizing Control Flows in ProgramsProceedings of the ACM Conference on Global Computing Education Vol 110.1145/3576882.3617922(161-167)Online publication date: 5-Dec-2023
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Dağ FŞumuer EDurdu L(2023)The effect of an unplugged coding course on primary school students' improvement in their computational thinking skillsJournal of Computer Assisted Learning10.1111/jcal.1285039:6(1902-1918)Online publication date: 17-Jul-2023
https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12850
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