Bee-Bot for Computational Thinking: An Artifact Analysis Parama Bhattacharya Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University, United States pbhatta@iu.edu Matthew Brown Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University, United States mb2@iu.edu Abstract: Computational thinking (CT) offers an approach that helps to introduce students to computing principles. Integrating computational thinking into an education curriculum early on is important as it helps students to make crucial cross-curricular connections, improves academic achievement, and develops problem-solving skills. CT is not tied to a programming language but is a way to solve problems abstractly and systematically. Educational robots are one method for integrating CT into the educational curriculum. The purpose of this poster/demo is to reflect on the usage of the Bee-Bot robot for teaching CT to elementary school students. Artifact analysis was used to analyze its usability for teaching CT. This analysis will help teachers and pre-service teachers to plan their lessons better using bee-bots, in multiple subject areas and literacies while teaching CT skills to young children. Introduction Computer science plays a very crucial role in our technology connected world which means students also get exposed to many technologies within their first few years of schooling (Livingstone & Haddon, 2009). In that respect it is beneficial to introduce children to computing ideas early in their school years. Computational thinking (CT) offers an encompassing approach that introduces students to computing principles and ideas in the context of the subject areas they are learning (Yadav, Hong & Stephenson, 2016). Wing (2006) states that CT is “solving problems, designing systems, and understanding human behavior, by drawing on the concepts fundamental to computer science” (p. 33). Lu and Fletcher (2009) point out that CT is not tied to a programming language but is a way to abstract and systematically solve problems (Lu & Fletcher, 2009). Computational thinking (CT) is an important skill that has benefits beyond computer science (Lockwood & Mooney, 2017). Wing (2006) says “It represents a universally applicable attitude and skill set everyone, not just computer scientists, would be eager to learn and use” (p. 33). Integrating CT into education curriculum early is important for students to help them make connections, improve academic achievement, and develop their problem- solving abilities (Hunsaker, n.d.). Teaching CT can be beneficial to students that progress to more advanced computer science courses because “the challenge will no longer be in learning to think computationally, but in learning the nuances of new languages” (Lu & Fletcher, 2009, p. 264). It is also beneficial for those that do not progress in computer science by developing a way of thinking that “will be substantial benefit in their professional careers and in everyday life” (Lu & Fletcher, 2009, p. 264). Additionally, teaching CT can lead to a greater awareness of computer science encouraging students to pursue interests in the field and thus creating greater diversity in computer science (Lu & Fletcher, 2009). Literature suggests that there is a gap in research about using computer programing for early childhood education (Bers, Flannery, Kazakoff, & Sullivan, 2014). Young children are capable of CT involving “conceptualizing algorithms as a sequence of steps for carrying out instructions” (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, 2018, as cited in Baroutsis, Ferdinands, Goldsmith, White and Lambert, 2019, -2- SITE 2020 - San Diego, CA, United States, April 7-10, 2020