Experimentation

The STORYCODE project experimentation is designed to assess the impact of educational practices in narrative coding, which emphasize computational and narrative thinking in STEAM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) within both kindergarten and primary school settings. This assessment aims to understand how narrative coding practices influence both the methodology and the learning outcomes of educational activities focused on integrating computational and narrative STEAM concepts.

In Section 1 below, you will find a summary of the experimental phases of the STORYCODE project. The research project has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Hospital de Getafe (Madrid), Spain (CEIm24_85, dated October 23, 2024).

In Section 2 below, you will find various assessment tools tailored for students, teachers, and legal guardians to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of the participating children from multiple perspectives. These tools are available in several languages, including Spanish, Italian, Lithuanian, and Dutch for the Netherlands.

In Section 3 below, you will find an outline of the digital narrative coding lab structure for kindergarten and primary school. This structure has been carefully designed for collaborative use by students, their peers, and their teachers, ensuring that the integration of computational and narrative STEAM thinking is both effective and engaging throughout the school year.

RESEARCH ETHICS REGULATION

  • Research Ethics Regulation. This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Hospital Universitario de Getafe (Madrid, Spain) with the reference number CEIm24_85 as of October 23, 2024.
  • Principal Investigator. Dr. Giuseppe Iandolo, Universidad Europea de Madrid.
  • Study Title. Impact of the Narrative Coding Lab STORYCODE on Computational, Narrative, and Collaborative Reasoning Skills in Early Childhood and Primary Education.
  • Sponsors. Universidad Europea de Madrid (Spain), Fundación Educativa Francisco Coll (Spain), Scuola Ladina di Fassa (Italy), Computer Learning (Italy), STRIPES Onlus (Italy), Learning Hub Friesland (Netherlands), Kauno Simono Daukanto progimnazija (Lithuania), European Commission (Erasmus+).
  • Contact Information. For any inquiries, please write to info@storycode.eu. The data controller is Giuseppe Iandolo, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid (Spain). Email: giuseppe.iandolo@universidadeuropea.es or call +34 913 230 839.

1. STORYCODE RESEARCH PHASES

The STORYCODE study procedure includes seven phases:

  1. Phase 1. Identification of participants, collection of informed consent, and initial assessment of participants through the STORYCODE assessment tools for students, teachers, and legal guardians.
  2. Phase 2. Assignment of participants to the experimental (with Storycode Digital Narrative Coding Lab) and control conditions (without Storycode Narrative Coding Lab).
  3. Phase 3. Implementation of the standard protocol of ten sessions in the Storycode Digital Narrative Coding Lab (experimental group)/without Storycode Narrative Coding Lab (control group). [Evaluation of the groups' collaboration during sessions 4, 7, and 10 of the Digital Narrative Coding Lab by the teacher] & [Evaluation of the students' satisfaction with the Digital Narrative Coding Lab during session 10 by the students].
  4. Phase 4. Midterm assessment of participants through the STORYCODE assessment tools for students, teachers, and legal guardians.
  5. Phase 5. Switching participants between the experimental and control conditions.
  6. Phase 6. Storycode Digital Narrative Coding Lab (experimental group)/no narrative coding activity (control group). [Evaluation of the groups' collaboration during sessions 4, 7, and 10 of the Digital Narrative Coding Lab by the teacher] & [Evaluation of the students' satisfaction with the Digital Narrative Coding Lab during session 10 by the students].
  7. Phase 7. Final assessment of participants through the STORYCODE assessment tools for students, teachers, and legal guardians.

Guidelines & FAQs

Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)English
Linee Guida e Domande Frequenti (FAQ)Italiano
Líneas Guía y Preguntas Frecuentes (FAQ)Español
Gairės ir Dažniausiai Užduodami Klausimai (DUK)Lithuanian
Richtlijnen en Veelgestelde Vragen (FAQ)Dutch

2. STORYCODE ASSESSMENT TOOLS FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND LEGAL GUARDIANS

By clicking on the images below, you will find assessment tools tailored for students, teachers, and legal guardians, available in Spanish (for Spain), Italian (for Italy), Lithuanian (for Lithuania), and Dutch (for the Netherlands).

3. STORYCODE DIGITAL NARRATIVE CODING LAB STRUCTURE

By clicking on the images below, you will find the details of the structures of the Storycode Collaborative Digital Narrative Coding Lab for Kindergarten and Primary School.

The STORYCODE narrative coding lab involves 10 collaborative in-class sessions, each lasting 60 minutes for kindergarten and 90 minutes for primary school students. Throughout the STORYCODE narrative coding lab, the teacher will evaluate group collaboration at three different points (sessions 4, 7, and 10) using a specific assessment tool, while the students will indicate their level of satisfaction with the lab during these same sessions.

  • Sessions 1 and 2: Conduct two "unplugged" coding activities without using technology.
  • Session 3: Provide training on using the tangible digital tool i-code, starting with an exploration of the tangible materials by the children, followed by the application.
  • Session 4: Engage in a story-retelling activity using i-code, aiming to familiarize participants with i-code through narrative models that also support computational logic. The children will be presented with a story that has a beginning, middle, and end, and they will be asked to reproduce it using i-code.
  • Session 5: Continue working on children’s narratives by offering a model with a story that has a beginning and middle but no end. The children will be asked to create an ending using i-code, promoting the development of narrative structure and sequential logic.
  • Session 6: Present a narrative model with a beginning but without a middle and end. The children will develop the middle and ending using i-code, reinforcing sequential logic.
  • Session 7: Introduce a narrative centered around a problematic event and its resolution, focusing on problem-solving, a key aspect of computational thinking. The children will reproduce a story with a beginning, middle (with a problem), and a resolved ending using i-code.
  • Session 8: Provide a narrative model with a problematic event but no resolution. The children will be asked to develop a resolving ending using i-code.
  • Sessions 9 and 10: Participants will collaboratively create their own story and reproduce it using i-code.