'PRIMM' Framework for STEAM Coding

The PRIMM model was developed by Dr. Sue Sentance, currently the Director of the Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre, and her colleagues while at King's College London. It is grounded in the principle that students should learn to read and comprehend code before they are asked to write it from scratch. This pedagogical approach draws on several established research areas, including the "Use-Modify-Create" model and studies on levels of abstraction in programming. The framework is designed to reduce the cognitive load on novice programmers by scaffolding their learning and gradually transferring ownership of the code to the student. A key aspect of PRIMM is its focus on language and collaborative talk in the classroom. The initial "Predict" stage, where students discuss what a program might do, is designed to encourage dialogue and ideas without the pressure of formal assessment. Research has shown the effectiveness of the PRIMM approach. In one study involving nearly 500 students aged 11-14, the group taught using PRIMM performed significantly better on post-tests than a control group. Teachers in the study noted the framework's value in differentiating instruction for mixed-ability classes. While initially developed with text-based languages like Python in mind for secondary students, the PRIMM structure has been adapted for a wide range of contexts. It is now used internationally and incorporated into primary education resources for block-based programming with tools like Scratch and coding robots.