The "cOOL Clubs": Supporting gifted primary school students in STEAM"

Abstract

The rapid rise of computational technologies has heightened the demand for proficient computer scientists. A strong foundation in Computer Science (CS) and Digital Education (German: Digitale Grundbildung DGB) has become crucial, even for young learners. Despite the growing importance of CS and DGB in Austria, a gap remains in comprehensive understanding among students and educators. This study aims to bridge this gap by making CS accessible to primary school students and teachers. The solution, COOL Lab, is an active learning center offering diverse STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) programs. These programs facilitate cross-disciplinary education, supported by innovative CS technologies, nurturing computational thinking (CT) as a problem-solving tool, and enhancing digital skills. Focusing on COOL Lab Clubs, tailored for gifted primary school students, specifically the 'Girls∗Only IT-Club' and 'Mini Club', this research first introduces these clubs and then presents insights from four club activities, along with methodologies enhancing CS and CT comprehension. Early results from a questionnaire involving 20 participants aged 9-10 were analyzed. At the outset, almost half of the participants, particularly girls, lacked exposure to CT and CS yet showed eagerness to learn. Initial findings of the club evaluations indicate a strong interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) as well as CS and a positive response to the COOL Clubs.