International Journal of
Information and Education Technology

Abstract

This study examines the effects of a programming education program based on computational participation on the communication and collaboration skills of gifted elementary students. While conventional computing education for gifted students primarily focused on individual cognitive and technical skill development, the program was explicitly designed to foster personal expression, peer collaboration, and community engagement through programming. Over the course of 16 class periods, students engaged in a sequence of individual, remix, and collaborative programming projects using the Delightex platform. To evaluate its impact, pre- and post-program assessments of communication and collaboration skills were conducted, complemented by student interviews. The results revealed an average increase in students’ communication skill scores, though the change was not statistically significant. Collaboration skill scores, however, demonstrated a statistically significant improvement. These findings indicate that computational participation-based programming has the potential to support the development of collaboration and communication skills. These competencies are recognized as essential for the 21st century and can be nurtured within a socially interactive learning environment for gifted students.