COMPUTER-SCIENCE IN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY-SCHOOLS

In this paper we examine the current computer science curriculum in elementary schools and identify its shortcomings. We then present a new approach to teaching computer science at the elementary school level. We identify five main concepts that are at the heart of computer science, and show with examples front our experience how these concepts may be presented in the primary school classroom. The suggested approach encourages the students to spend most of their time thinking, inventing games, playing them, analyzing them, and explaining in words what is happening. The computer is used to aid in the visualization of some of the algorithms, to execute simple programs, and to serve as a motivator for this approach. This means that a large portion of these activities can be carried out successfully with only limited computer facilities, and hence opens up new learning opportunities for students in schools that lack financial resources.