Primary Programming - Teachers’ Attitudes and Skills in the Light of Computing Reform

Oct 15, 2026

The study investigates how a paradigm shift in primary information and communication technology education is being implemented through the mandatory introduction of computing as a primary school subject. It focuses on programming as the key component and examines primary teachers’ attitudes toward teaching programming during ongoing informatics education reform in the Czech Republic. Teachers’ attitudes are measured using Sun’s Teacher Programming Attitude Scale, and links to computational thinking are explored via Bebras Challenge tasks. Results show generally positive attitudes supported by strong computing skills, with prior programming teaching experience significantly shaping positivity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages28

Reading Time1 h 11 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Two steps to primary computing in Czechia

Received: 21 March 2025, Accepted: 20 November 2025 DOI: [https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.2110](https://doi.org/10.26529/cepsj.2110) Primary Programming: Teachers’ Attitudes and Skills in the Light of Computing Reform Jiří Vaníček*1 and Jan Pršala2 • Two global trends that can be observed in computing education all over the world are moving the beginning of teaching computing as a compulsory school subject to primary education and moving from the teaching of user approaches to digital technologies to computer science content. The Czech Republic is currently the scene of such changes within the ongoing reform of informatics education. This paper presents the visionsand principles that have served as the foundational framework for thereform initiative. A significant term for the introduction of computing in schools is programming. The key figure for the implementation of the changes is the primary school teacher who has no background in computer science and no experience in the subject as a student. The topic of our inquiry is therefore the attitudes of primary teachers towards teaching programming at the time of the ongoing school reform. The aim of the research is to identify the personal, pedagogical and environmental factors that influence teachers’ attitudes towards teaching programming. We measured programming attitudes using Sun’s Teacher Programming Attitude Scale, while the relationship of these attitudes to teachers’ computational thinking was explored using Bebras Challenge tasks. A survey of primary school teachers revealed a positive attitude towards the teaching of programming, coupled with very good computing skills. The study also found that previous experience in teaching programming is a significant factor in influencing teachers’ positive attitudes towards the subject. Keywords: national curricula innovation, programming, primary teacher, attitudes, programming skills 1 *Corresponding Author. Faculty of Education at the University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; [vanicek@pf.jcu.cz](vanicek@pf.jcu.cz). 2 Faculty of Education at the University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic. 62 primary programming: teachers’ attitudes and skills in the light of computing Programiranje v osnovni šoli: odnos in veščine učiteljev v luči reforme poučevanja računalništva in informatike Jiří Vaníček in Jan Pršala • Dva globalna trenda, ki ju lahko opazimo v računalniškem izobraževanju po vsem svetu, sta premik začetka poučevanja računalništva kot obveznega šolskega predmeta v osnovnošolsko izobraževanje in prehod od poučevanja uporabe digitalnih tehnologij k obravnavi vsebin računalništva. Češka te spremembe uresničuje s sistemsko reformo poučevanjaračunalništva in informatike. Članek predstavlja vizije in načela, ki sooblikovali temeljni okvir reforme. Pomemben vidik uvedbe računalništva in informatike v šolah je programiranje. Ključna oseba za izvajanjesprememb je osnovnošolski učitelj, ki pogosto nima ustreznega znanja iz računalništva in izkušenj s tem predmetom kot učenec. Raziskava se osredinja na odnos osnovnošolskih učiteljev do poučevanja programiranja med šolsko reformo. Cilj raziskave je identificirati osebne, pedagoškein okoljske dejavnike, ki vplivajo na njihov odnos do poučevanja programiranja. Odnos do programiranja smo merili z uporabo Sunove lestvice odnosa učiteljev do programiranja, medtem ko smo raziskali povezavomed temi odnosi in računalniškim mišljenjem učiteljev z uporabo nalog tekmovanja Bober. Raziskava med osnovnošolskimi učitelji je pokazalapozitiven odnos do poučevanja programiranja, ki ga spremljata dobro računalniško znanje in zadostna raven računalniškega mišljenja. Študija je tudi ugotovila, da so pretekle izkušnje s poučevanjem programiranja pomemben dejavnik, ki vpliva na pozitiven odnos učiteljev do tegapredmeta. Ključne besede: inovativnost v nacionalnih učnih načrtih, programiranje, osnovnošolski učitelj, odnos, programerske veščine

FAQs

What changes in computing education does the paper describe for primary schools?

It describes two global trends adopted in the Czech Republic: moving computing to compulsory primary education and shifting from teaching user approaches to digital technologies toward computer science content.

How does the study measure teachers’ programming attitudes?

It measures programming attitudes with Sun’s Teacher Programming Attitude Scale.

What factor is found to significantly influence teachers’ positive attitudes?

Previous experience in teaching programming is identified as a significant factor affecting teachers’ positive attitudes toward the subject.

Oct 15, 2026

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