block-based visual programming environments play an increasingly important role in introducing computing concepts to K-12 students. The open-ended and conceptual nature of these visualprogramming tasks make them chal...
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block-based visual programming environments play an increasingly important role in introducing computing concepts to K-12 students. The open-ended and conceptual nature of these visualprogramming tasks make them challenging for novice programmers. A natural approach to providing assistance for problem-solving is breaking down a complex task into a progression of simpler subtasks. However, this is not trivial given that the solution codes are typically nested and have non-linear execution behavior. In this paper, we formalize the problem of synthesizing such a progression for a given reference task in a visualprogramming domain. We propose a novel synthesis algorithm that generates a progression of subtasks that are high-quality, well-spaced in terms of their complexity, and solving this progression leads to solving the reference task. We conduct a user study to demonstrate that our synthesized progression of subtasks can assist a novice programmer in solving tasks from the Hour of Code: Maze Challenge (***, 2022c) by *** (***, 2022a).
Computer programming is regarded as an important skill for the future. However, many K-12 students face challenges and difficulties in learning traditional text-basedprogramming. block-based visual programming (BVP) ...
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Computer programming is regarded as an important skill for the future. However, many K-12 students face challenges and difficulties in learning traditional text-basedprogramming. block-based visual programming (BVP) can reduce the difficulty of learning programming and is seen as a potential programming education tool. Nevertheless, the effects of BVP on K-12 student learning outcomes remain unclear, and there is no evidence of meta-analysis. This is the first meta-analysis that aims to examine the effects of BVP on K-12 students' learning based on 42 effect sizes from 29 independent experimental studies (2000-2023). The result suggests that BVP has an upper-medium effect on learning (SMD = 0.769, 95% CI = [0.554, 0.984], p < .001), particularly in the cognitive outcome (SMD = 0.698, p < .001). Moreover, the BVP tool, study design, and region have moderating effects. The BVP's effects are larger when: (1) with 61 similar to 100 students, (2) for junior high school, (3) with the learning duration of >1 month, (4) targeting math, (5) among novice students, (6) using Scratch, ScratchJr, Alice, and App Inventor, (7) employing project-based learning and project-based + game-based learning, (8) base on quasi-experimental design, (9) in Africa and Europe, (10) with latter publication years. Finally, discussions, implications, limitations, and future directions are put forward.
Recently, smart contracts are increasingly gaining more attention from academia and industries, due to their potential of increasing efficiency in various application domains. However, building syntactically correct s...
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ISBN:
(纸本)9781665417600
Recently, smart contracts are increasingly gaining more attention from academia and industries, due to their potential of increasing efficiency in various application domains. However, building syntactically correct smart contracts is very complex and challenging for non-expert programmers. Besides, as smart contracts are still in the early emerging phase, there is a lack of expertise and tools for supporting practitioners to teach or learn smart contract development. In this paper, we introduce SmartBuilder, a block-based visual programming framework for building smart contracts using extended Google blockly libraries. It allows Hyperledger Fabric smart contract (also known as Chaincode) development learners or non-expert users to build smart contracts using visualblocks without writing a single code. Moreover, it is a useful and efficient educational tool for teaching or learning how to build smart contracts.
block-based visual programming tools, such as Scratch, Alice, and MIT App Inventor, provide an intuitive and easy-to-use editing interface through which to promote programming learning for novice students of various a...
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block-based visual programming tools, such as Scratch, Alice, and MIT App Inventor, provide an intuitive and easy-to-use editing interface through which to promote programming learning for novice students of various ages. However, very little attention has been paid to investigating these tools' overall effects on students' academic achievement and the study features that may moderate the effects of block-based visual programming from a comprehensive perspective. Thus, the present study carried out a meta-analysis to systemically examine 29 empirical studies (extracting 34 effect sizes) using experimental or quasi-experiments involving the programming learning effects of employing block-based visual programming tools to date (until the end of 2019). The results showed a small to medium significant positive overall mean effect size (fixed-effect modelg = 0.37;random-effects modelg =0.47) of the use of these block-based visual programming tools with respect to students' academic achievement. Furthermore, the overall mean effect size was significantly affected by the educational stage, programming tool used, experimental treatment, and school location. Discussions and implications based on the findings are provided.
block-based visual programming tools are widely used in elementary education. Nonetheless, these tools alone may not ensure the spontaneous and efficient acquisition of concepts and skills in computational thinking (C...
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block-based visual programming tools are widely used in elementary education. Nonetheless, these tools alone may not ensure the spontaneous and efficient acquisition of concepts and skills in computational thinking (CT). Using mind mapping as a form of scaffolding to facilitate the visualization of abstract thinking processes may enhance the effectiveness of programming instruction. This study therefore investigated the effects of mind mapping-based scaffolding that integrates five CT skills on elementary students' CT development. Eighty-six fifth-grade students participated in our pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study. In the experimental group, mind mapping-based scaffolding was used to help students learn programming, while in the comparison group it was not used. The results showed that both groups achieved significant improvements in concept understanding and skill development;however, students instructed using mind mapping-based scaffolding obtained notably superior performance in understanding CT concepts and mastering CT skills. The results also revealed that the students had positive perceptions of mind mapping-based scaffolding, although challenges were also identified. This study enriches the relevant empirical research and offers insights for practitioners on designing effective scaffolding to promote students' CT development.
block-basedprogramming environments are increasingly used to introduce computing concepts to beginners. However, novice students often struggle in these environments, given the conceptual and open-ended nature of pro...
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ISBN:
(纸本)9783031116445;9783031116438
block-basedprogramming environments are increasingly used to introduce computing concepts to beginners. However, novice students often struggle in these environments, given the conceptual and open-ended nature of programming tasks. To effectively support a student struggling to solve a given task, it is important to provide adaptive scaffolding that guides the student towards a solution. We introduce a scaffolding framework based on pop quizzes presented as multi-choice programming tasks. To automatically generate these pop quizzes, we propose a novel algorithm, PQUIZSYN. More formally, given a reference task with a solution code and the student's current attempt, PQUIZSYN synthesizes new tasks for pop quizzes with the following features: (a) Adaptive (i.e., individualized to the student's current attempt), (b) Comprehensible (i.e., easy to comprehend and solve), and (c) Concealing (i.e., do not reveal the solution code). Our algorithm synthesizes these tasks using techniques based on symbolic reasoning and graph-based code representations. We show that our algorithm can generate hundreds of pop quizzes for different student attempts on reference tasks from Hour of Code: Maze Challenge [11] and Karel [9]. We assess the quality of these pop quizzes through expert ratings using an evaluation rubric. Further, we have built an online platform for practicing block-basedprogramming tasks empowered via pop quiz based feedback, and report results from an initial user study.
In recent years, the XLogoOnline programming platform has gained popularity among novice learners. It integrates the Logo programming language with visualprogramming, providing a visual interface for learning computi...
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ISBN:
(纸本)9783031643118;9783031643125
In recent years, the XLogoOnline programming platform has gained popularity among novice learners. It integrates the Logo programming language with visualprogramming, providing a visual interface for learning computing concepts. However, XLogoOnline offers only a limited set of tasks, which are inadequate for learners to master the computing concepts that require sufficient practice. To address this, we introduce XLogoSyn, a novel technique for synthesizing high-quality tasks for varying difficulty levels. Given a reference task, XLogoSyn can generate practice tasks at varying difficulty levels that cater to the varied needs and abilities of different learners. XLogoSyn achieves this by combining symbolic execution and constraint satisfaction techniques. Our expert study demonstrates the effectiveness of XLogoSyn. We have also deployed synthesized practice tasks into XLogoOnline, highlighting the educational benefits of these synthesized practice tasks.
We explore the role of quizzes in elementary visualprogramming domains popularly used for K-8 computing education. Prior work has studied various quiz types, such as fill-in-the-gap write-code questions. However, the...
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ISBN:
(纸本)9798400705311
We explore the role of quizzes in elementary visualprogramming domains popularly used for K-8 computing education. Prior work has studied various quiz types, such as fill-in-the-gap write-code questions. However, the overall impact of these quizzes is unclear: studies often show utility in the learning phase when enhanced with quizzes, though limited transfer of utility in the post-learning phase. In this paper, we aim to better understand the impact of different quiz types and whether quizzes focusing on diverse skills (e.g., code debugging and task design) would have higher utility. We design a study with Hour of Code: Maze Challenge by *** as the base curriculum, interleaved with different quiz types. Specifically, we examine two learning groups: (i) HoC-ACE with diverse quizzes including solution tracing, code debugging, code equivalence, and task design;(ii) HoC-Fill with simple quizzes on solution finding. We conducted a large-scale study with 405 students in grades 6-7. Our results highlight that the curriculum enhanced with richer quizzes led to higher utility during the post-learning phase.
block-basedprogramming languages (BBLs) have been proposed as a way to prepare students for learning to program in more sophisticated, text-based languages, such as Java. Hybrid BBLs add the ability to view and edit ...
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block-basedprogramming languages (BBLs) have been proposed as a way to prepare students for learning to program in more sophisticated, text-based languages, such as Java. Hybrid BBLs add the ability to view and edit the block commands in auto-generated, text-based code. We compared the use of a non-hybrid BBL (Scratch), a hybrid BBL (Pencil Code), and no BBL across three sections of an introductory CS course that taught Java programming, to determine whether either type of BBL offered cognitive or affective advantages for learning Java. Students in the BBL groups were surveyed about their perceptions of each BBL in terms of ease of use and helpfulness in learning Java, and all three groups were compared on their performance in Java programming. The results showed that, in this introductory CS course, neither type of BBL offered an advantage in preparing students for learning Java. These results held regardless of the students' level of Java knowledge prior to the course.
In the education of introductory programming, people often adopt block-based visual programming languages such as Scratch and blockly that allow programmers to construct programs by placing visualblocks. A previous s...
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ISBN:
(纸本)9783030779429;9783030779436
In the education of introductory programming, people often adopt block-based visual programming languages such as Scratch and blockly that allow programmers to construct programs by placing visualblocks. A previous study showed that a block-based language was more effective than a text-based language in introductory programming education. However, even with such block-based languages, it is still necessary for novices to learn programming in traditional ways, for example, by hearing lectures, reading textbooks, or watching tutorial videos. In this paper, we propose a video game-like approach to supporting novices in learning programming. We introduce two concepts into a block-basedprogramming system: one is a staging mechanism that allows novices to gradually obtain more complex means of programming;the other is an assistant chatbot that helps novices to gain knowledge of programming. We implemented the system by applying our approach to turtle graphics. We present results of the experiment that we conducted to evaluate our approach.
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