Engineering to see and move: Teaching computer programming with flowcharts vs. LEGO robots

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of integrating LEGO Robots into an elementary school programming class through examining the learning achievement and teacher-student interaction. A self-developed course was used to present the instructional project, and the research subjects were 80 fifth and sixth grade students in two elementary schools. Before the instruction of the course, the researchers divided students into the experimental group and the control group respectively for giving programming instructions based on "integration of Lego Robot" and "traditional illustration of flowcharts" for three weeks. The results showed that the fifth and sixth grade students who received programming instructions based on integration of LEGO Robots performed higher learning achievement in programming ability than those who received instructions based on illustration of flowcharts. In addition, integration of LEGO Robots into programming instructions had a significant effect on teacher-student interactions and teacher-student interactions became more student-centered.