The Impact of an Educational Robot-based Intervention on Second-graders Computational Thinking Skills: The Experimental Evaluation of the Irûmi Program in Paraguay

In this article, we present the impact evaluation of Irûmi , an educational robot -based intervention aimed at developing second -grade students' computational thinking (CT) skills in Paraguay. Our results indicate that the program had an effect of 0.09 standard deviations on the students' CT skills, focusing on abilities such as abstraction, algorithmic thinking, and evaluation. These findings suggest that with age - appropriate instructional design, very young children could develop CT skills and, that smart devices and electronic toys can contribute to their development at early ages. Several mechanisms may explain these results. First, Irûmi increased the likelihood that teachers would use educational technology in the classroom, including devices not explicitly provided by the program. Second, the program contributed to the development of teachers CT skills, possibly due to the novelty of the curriculum and methodology in the Paraguayan context. Third, Irûmi may have increased teachers motivation to use technology, thereby strengthening their positive attitudes toward its integration into teaching. Beyond its effects on CT skills, Irûmi generated additional benefits for students. In particular, it increased preferences for science, technology, engi neering, and mathematics (STEM) -related toys and promoted greater gender flexibility regarding who can play with them, especially among girls. It also improved boys and girls attitudes toward technology. Our study contributes to the empirical literature by focusing on a middle -income country, using an experimental design with pre - and post -intervention measures, working with a large sample of students, and analyzing the impact on both students and teachers .