Communal Learning versus Individual Learning: An Exploratory Convergent Parallel Mixed-Method Study to Describe How Young African American Novice Programmers Learn Computational Thinking Skills in an Informal Learning Environment

Abstract

Today, most young people in the United States (U.S.) live technology-saturated lives. Their educational, entertainment, and career options originate from and demand incredible technological innovations. However, this extensive ownership of and access to technology does not indicate that today's youth know how technology works or how to control and use it to spawn innovation and create. The Computer Science Education (CSEd) research community recently made recommendations to help get young students more engaged in computer science, have longer exposure to the field’s concepts and practices, and thus use this longevity to persist through higher education and into computer science careers.