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'And What Do You Think Is inside a Computer?': Exploring 6-9 Graders' Preconceptions about Computer Functionality

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Title: 'And What Do You Think Is inside a Computer?': Exploring 6-9 Graders' Preconceptions about Computer Functionality
Language: English
Authors: Anna Yaghobová (ORCID 0000-0002-2102-7515), Anna Drobná (ORCID 0000-0003-2714-9529), Marek Urban (ORCID 0000-0003-2772-1388), Cyril Brom (ORCID 0000-0001-5945-0514)
Source: ACM Transactions on Computing Education. 2026 26(1).
Availability: Association for Computing Machinery. 1601 Broadway 10th Floor, New York, NY 10119. Tel: 800-342-6626; Tel: 212-626-0500; Fax: 212-944-1318; e-mail: acmhelp@acm.org; Web site: http://toce.acm.org/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 32
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Grade 6
Intermediate Grades
Middle Schools
Grade 7
Junior High Schools
Secondary Education
Grade 8
Grade 9
High Schools
Descriptors: Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9, Foreign Countries, Student Attitudes, Computer Software, Computer Attitudes, Information Storage, Secondary School Students, Student Characteristics
Geographic Terms: Czech Republic
DOI: 10.1145/3769853
ISSN: 1946-6226
Abstract: Children encounter computers daily, but how do they understand what happens inside these machines? Existing literature has not examined children's preconceptions about computer principles sufficiently. Hence, we conducted a mixed-methods study (N = 53, n[subscript 6+7grades] = 29, n[subscript 8+9grades] = 24) in diverse regions of the Czech Republic with the aim of identifying the said preconceptions. We used 45-min-long semi-structured interviews and conducted an inductive thematic analysis, and identified 103 preconceptions, 90 of which have never been described in the literature previously. Based on their occurrence, we performed a two-step cluster analysis with automatic cluster detection, identifying three participant groups based on their knowledge level: experts, intermediates, and beginners. Experts comprehended the most abstract concepts, such as the interaction between RAM and the processor and the existence of different types of memory. Intermediates understood some abstract concepts, while beginner participants lacked understanding of most abstract concepts and viewed the computer as a magical black box. Our research significantly expands the number of identified preconceptions about computer principles. This could serve as a valuable basis for developing evidence-based, constructivist teaching materials and practices, addressing a gap that exists in many education systems.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1497189
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: 'And What Do You Think Is inside a Computer?': Exploring 6-9 Graders' Preconceptions about Computer Functionality
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Anna+Yaghobová%22">Anna Yaghobová</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2102-7515">0000-0002-2102-7515</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Anna+Drobná%22">Anna Drobná</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2714-9529">0000-0003-2714-9529</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Marek+Urban%22">Marek Urban</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2772-1388">0000-0003-2772-1388</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cyril+Brom%22">Cyril Brom</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5945-0514">0000-0001-5945-0514</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22ACM+Transactions+on+Computing+Education%22"><i>ACM Transactions on Computing Education</i></searchLink>. 2026 26(1).
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  Data: Association for Computing Machinery. 1601 Broadway 10th Floor, New York, NY 10119. Tel: 800-342-6626; Tel: 212-626-0500; Fax: 212-944-1318; e-mail: acmhelp@acm.org; Web site: http://toce.acm.org/
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  Data: 32
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Intermediate+Grades%22">Intermediate Grades</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Junior+High+Schools%22">Junior High Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+8%22">Grade 8</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+9%22">Grade 9</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22High+Schools%22">High Schools</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+6%22">Grade 6</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+7%22">Grade 7</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+8%22">Grade 8</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+9%22">Grade 9</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Attitudes%22">Student Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Software%22">Computer Software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Attitudes%22">Computer Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Information+Storage%22">Information Storage</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+School+Students%22">Secondary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Characteristics%22">Student Characteristics</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Czech+Republic%22">Czech Republic</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1145/3769853
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  Data: Children encounter computers daily, but how do they understand what happens inside these machines? Existing literature has not examined children's preconceptions about computer principles sufficiently. Hence, we conducted a mixed-methods study (N = 53, n[subscript 6+7grades] = 29, n[subscript 8+9grades] = 24) in diverse regions of the Czech Republic with the aim of identifying the said preconceptions. We used 45-min-long semi-structured interviews and conducted an inductive thematic analysis, and identified 103 preconceptions, 90 of which have never been described in the literature previously. Based on their occurrence, we performed a two-step cluster analysis with automatic cluster detection, identifying three participant groups based on their knowledge level: experts, intermediates, and beginners. Experts comprehended the most abstract concepts, such as the interaction between RAM and the processor and the existence of different types of memory. Intermediates understood some abstract concepts, while beginner participants lacked understanding of most abstract concepts and viewed the computer as a magical black box. Our research significantly expands the number of identified preconceptions about computer principles. This could serve as a valuable basis for developing evidence-based, constructivist teaching materials and practices, addressing a gap that exists in many education systems.
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