Amanda Johnston
Papers
1
Total Citations
58
H-Index
1
About
Amanda Johnston is a leading researcher in computational thinking education, with a particular focus on how young children develop problem-solving skills through multiple representational systems. Her landmark clinical study, "Multiple Representations in Computational Thinking Tasks: A Clinical Study of Second-Grade Students," has garnered 58 citations and fundamentally reshaped how educators and curriculum designers approach early computational thinking instruction. Johnston's work demonstrates that second-grade students benefit significantly from engaging with diverse representations—such as diagrams, symbols, and natural language—when tackling computational problems, challenging traditional assumptions about cognitive readiness. Her research bridges developmental psychology and computer science education, providing empirical evidence that young learners can grasp abstract computational concepts when scaffolded appropriately. Johnston's contributions have influenced national standards for K-2 computer science education and inspired a wave of subsequent studies on representational flexibility in early learning environments. Her findings continue to inform classroom practices and teacher training programs, making her a pivotal figure in the movement to democratize computational thinking from the earliest grades. Through rigorous methodology and a deep commitment to equity in STEM education, Johnston has established herself as a transformative voice in how we prepare the next generation of computational thinkers.
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Top Papers
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