Erken Çocukluk Eğitiminde Bilgi İşlemsel Düşünme Araştırmalarının Haritalanması: Açıkça Bilgi İşlemsel Düşünme Etiketli Literatür Üzerine Bir Bibliyometrik Analiz

Öz

Amaç: Bilgi işlemsel düşünme (BİD), erken çocukluk eğitimi (EÇE) alanında temel bir yetkinlik olarak giderek daha fazla kabul görmektedir. Araştırmalar artmış olsa da, farklı araştırma trendlerinin EÇE'de BİD’in gelişimini nasıl şekillendirdiğine sınırlı bir ilgi gösterilmiştir. Bu çalışma, EÇE'de BİD araştırmalarının yapısal evrimini incelemek ve literatürde baskın temaları, araştırma eğilimlerini ve yeterince araştırılmamış alanları belirlemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Yöntem: 2011 ile 2025 yılları arasında yayınlanan ve Web of Science Core Collection'da indekslenen 210 makale üzerinde bibliyometrik bir analiz gerçekleştirilmiştir. Biblioshiny kullanılarak, yayın eğilimleri, etkili yazarlar ve tematik yapılar analiz edilerek EÇE'de BİD araştırmalarının entelektüel gelişimi haritalandırılmıştır. Bulgular: Bulgular, 2017 sonrasında BİD araştırmalarında hızlı bir artışa işaret etmekte olup bu durum, alanın niş bir konudan giderek daha fazla tanınan ve gelişmekte olan bir akademik araştırma alanına dönüşümünü yansıtmaktadır. Bununla birlikte, bu artış coğrafi açıdan sınırlı sayıda bölgesel bağlamla kısıtlı kalmaya devam etmektedir. Tematik ve ağ analizleri, pedagojik uygulama çalışmaları ile gelişimsel sonuç odaklı araştırmalar arasında kalıcı bir parçalanma olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Robotik, programlama ve problem çözme baskın temalar olarak ortaya çıkarken, değerlendirme yaklaşımları, öğretmenlerin mesleki gelişimi ve bilgisayarsız pedagojiler nispeten az gelişmiş kalmaktadır. Sonuç: Çalışma, EÇE'de BİD entegrasyonunun dengesizliğine katkıda bulunan yapısal gerilimleri vurgulamakta ve disiplinler arası iş birliğine, öğretmen eğitimine daha fazla önem verilmesine ve gelişimsel açıdan uyumlu pedagojik çerçevelerin oluşturulmasına duyulan ihtiyacın altını çizmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• bilgi işlemsel düşünme
• erken çocukluk eğitimi
• bibliyometrik analiz
• araştırma eğilimleri

Mapping Computational Thinking Research in Early Childhood Education: A Bibliometric Analysis of Explicitly CT-Labelled Literature

Öz

Purpose: Computational thinking (CT) has increasingly been recognized as a foundational competence within early childhood education (ECE). Although the volume of research has grown, limited attention has been given to how different research traditions shape the development of CT in ECE. This study aims to examine the structural evolution of CT research in ECE and to identify dominant themes, research trends, and underexplored areas in the literature. Method: A bibliometric analysis was conducted on 210 peer-reviewed articles published between 2011 and August 2025 and indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection. Using Biblioshiny, publication trends, influential contributors, and thematic structures were analyzed to map the intellectual development of CT research in ECE. Findings: The findings indicate a rapid increase in CT research after 2017, reflecting its transition from a niche topic to an emerging and increasingly recognized area of scholarly inquiry. However, this growth remains geographically concentrated within a limited number of regional contexts. Thematic and network analyses reveal a persistent fragmentation between pedagogical implementation studies and developmental outcome-oriented research. Robotics, programming, and problem-solving emerge as dominant themes, whereas assessment approaches, teacher professional development, and unplugged pedagogies remain comparatively underdeveloped. Conclusion: The study highlights structural tensions contributing to uneven CT integration in ECE and emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary collaboration, stronger attention to teacher education, and developmentally aligned pedagogical frameworks. The findings provide a conceptual basis for guiding future research and supporting more coherent integration of CT in ECE contexts.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• computational thinking
• early childhood education
• bibliometric analysis
• research trends

Kaynakça

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