Desarrollo del Pensamiento Computacional en la etapa de Educación Infantil: Revisión Sistemática de intervenciones educativas

Abstract

This systematic review aims to analyze the educational interventions used to develop Computational THinking 8CT) in Early Childhood Education (ECE). In recent years, CT has become established as a key competence for the development of cognitive and technological skills, enabling the approach to elements such as decomposition, abstraction, pattern recognition, and algorithms. The review was carried out following the PRISMA protocol, through a search in the Web of Science, Scopus and ERIC databases. The following descriptors were used: “Education” AND “Computational Thinking”; “Educational Technology” AND Computational Thinking”; “Early Childhood Education” AND (“Computational Thinking” OR “Digital Skills” OR “Educational Technology” OR “Programming” OR “Algorithms” OR “Game-Based Learning”). The final sample included 17 studies published between 2020 and 2024. The results show that the interventions applied in ECE generate significant improvements in basic cognitive skills, while more advanced aspects of CT, such as debugging or the use of hardware and software, are addressed less frequently. Moreover, there is a growing interest in the use of robotics as a didactic tool, although the number of studies that use unplugged activities or tangible materials is still limited. In conclusion, the reviewed interventions prove effective for introducing CT at an early age, and future lines of research are proposed focusing on the design of manipulative resources and the assessment of the impact of such activities in real educational contexts.  This systematic review explores the interventions used to develop Computational Thinking (CT) in Early Childhood Education (ECE). In response to the growing demand for technological skills in recent years, CT has become a key competency for laying the foundation for skills such as decomposition, abstraction, pattern recognition, and algorithms. ECE is a stage where students can learn to think computationally in order to face the complex challenges of the future. This review was conducted using the PRISMA method, which allows for a rigorous filtering process across the following database: Web of Science, Scopus and ERIC. The results of the interventions show significant improvements in cognitive skills, although more advanced areas, such as debugging or the use of hardware/software, have received less attention. Additionally, a notable number of studies involving robotics in early childhood were found. The review concludes that the interventions analyzed are effective for developing CT in ECE, and future research lines are proposed to explore the design of tangible materials and the role of unplugged activities.