Jessica F. Shumway
Papers
6
Total Citations
126
H-Index
6
About
Jessica F. Shumway is a leading researcher at the intersection of early childhood education, computational thinking, and mathematics learning. Her work fundamentally explores how young children (ages 5–6) engage with complex concepts through tangible coding toys and robotics. Shumway’s major contributions include demonstrating that kindergarten students actively use mathematics—such as measurement, spatial reasoning, and unit iteration—while programming robot toys, as shown in her highly cited 2021 study (42 citations). She has also expanded the theoretical framework of computational thinking by introducing a “technological ethic of care,” arguing that children’s nurturing interactions with robots (39 citations) are a critical, often overlooked dimension of early computing education. Her research on debugging with tangible toys (10 citations) and embodied cognition in coding (8 citations) further reveals how young learners develop problem-solving skills through physical, playful activity. Shumway’s work is notable for its innovative use of video-recorded teaching sessions and interaction analysis, providing rich empirical evidence that challenges assumptions about what kindergarteners can achieve computationally. Her findings have significant implications for designing developmentally appropriate STEM curricula and integrating coding into early mathematics instruction.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 4The technical matters: young children debugging (with) tangible coding toys10 citations · 2022
- 5From Embodied Doing to Computational Thinking in Kindergarten8 citations · 2023
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