M-flow: a Flow-based Music Creation Platform Improves Underrepresented Children’s Attitudes toward Computer Programming

Because of the structural parallelisms between music and computing, it has long been suggested that coding music could be a good way for young children to engage in and learn about computer science (CS). Despite these suggestions, coding music has not reached a wider audience of young children, and the approach’s potential to engage them has not been thoroughly demonstrated. To facilitate the adoption of coding music activities, we created M-flow, a flow-based programming platform that allows young children to code music intuitively from the outset. Then, we developed a standards-aligned curriculum that teachers applied in their fourth-grade classrooms. Surveys indicate that children were greatly engaged, the experience successfully exposed them to and increased their self-efficacy toward programming. Our results indicate that with the appropriate coding platform, coding music can be a powerful way to engage children in CS.