The success of block-based programmingenvironments like Scratch and Alice has resulted in a growing presence of the block-based modality in classrooms. For example, in the United States, a new, nationally-administere...
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ISBN:
(纸本)9781450358903
The success of block-based programmingenvironments like Scratch and Alice has resulted in a growing presence of the block-based modality in classrooms. For example, in the United States, a new, nationally-administered computer science exam is evaluating students' understanding of programming concepts using both block-based and text-based presentations of short programs written in a custom pseudocode. The presence of the block-based modality on a written exam in an unimplemented pseudocode is a far cry from the informal, creative, and live coding contexts where block-based programming initially gained popularity. Further, the design of the block-based pseudocode used on the exam includes few of the features cited in the research as contributing to positive learner experiences. In this paper, we seek to understand the implications of the inclusion of an unimplemented block-based pseudocode on a written exam. To do so, we analyze responses from over 5,000 students to a 20 item assessment that included both block-based and text-based questions written in the same pseudocode as the national exam. Our analysis shows students performing better on questions presented in the block-based form compared to text-based questions. Further analysis shows that this difference is consistent across conceptual categories. This paper contributes to our understanding of the affordances of block-based programming and if and how the modality can help learners succeed in early computer science learning experiences.
Block-based programmingenvironments such as Scratch are designed to make programming easier to learn for both children and adults. Unfortunately, these environments rely so heavily on visual features that they are in...
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ISBN:
(纸本)9781450358903
Block-based programmingenvironments such as Scratch are designed to make programming easier to learn for both children and adults. Unfortunately, these environments rely so heavily on visual features that they are inaccessible to people who are blind and use screen readers. To address this problem, we created Blocks4All, a block-based environment for the Apple iPad, which uses the touchscreen and VoiceOver, the built-in screen reader for iOS, to help make the environment accessible. Blocks4All differs from existing block-based environments in three main ways: (1) it uses select, select, drop instead of drag and drop to move blocks, (2) the blocks are placed on the bottom of the screen and are a fixed size so that they can easily be found by touch even without sight, and (3) it uses both audio and spatial cues to convey information about statements nested inside repeat loops and conditionals. In our presentation, we will show the features we developed and demonstrate how to write code that uses both conditional statements and repeat loops. We anticipate the demo will be useful both for instructors with students with visual impairments and developers of block-based environments. Handouts will be provided that describe Blocks4All and information about how to download a beta version.
Graphical blocks-based programmingenvironments, such as Scratch and Snap!, are becoming increasingly popular tools for introducing learners to programming in formal educational settings. However, a growing body of re...
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ISBN:
(纸本)9781450329668
Graphical blocks-based programmingenvironments, such as Scratch and Snap!, are becoming increasingly popular tools for introducing learners to programming in formal educational settings. However, a growing body of research is finding that students struggle when transitioning from these tools to more conventional, text-based programming languages. To better understand students' difficulties and begin to explore potential solutions to facilitate this transition, a 10-week, quasi-experimental study was conducted with 80 students across three high-school introductoryprogramming classes. Each class spent five weeks working with different version of a blocks-based programming tool, each of which integrated text-based programming in a different way. After working in the introductoryenvironments, students transitioned to Java for the remainder of the study. The goal of this project is to understand the affects of blocks-based programming on students' emerging understandings, document challenges students face in transitioning from blocks-based to text-based programming, and investigate potential ways to bridge these two modalities. To answer these questions, a mixed-method approach was taken that included cognitive interviews with learners, automated collection of student authored programs, and pre/mid/post attitudinal and content assessments.
This poster presents an environment and set of pedagogical strategies designed to explore how best to use blocks-based programming tools to prepare learners for future, text-based programming languages. Starting with ...
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ISBN:
(纸本)9781450329668
This poster presents an environment and set of pedagogical strategies designed to explore how best to use blocks-based programming tools to prepare learners for future, text-based programming languages. Starting with the snap! programming environment, we added the capability to view the JavaScript equivalent of any blocks-based script authored inside the environment. Additionally, when students define behaviors for new blocks, they do so in JavaScript. This makes it possible to compose blocks-based scripts alongside text-based JavaScript programs and have the two run side-by-side. This environment was used during the first 5-weeks of an introductoryprogramming class at the high school level as part of a quasi-experimental study investigating the relationship between programming modality and emerging student understanding. Teachers of the course used the blocks/text hybrid features in various ways to support learners developing an understanding of programming concepts and laying the foundation for future text-based instruction. These strategies included having students compose programs with graphical blocks then view the equivalent JavaScript, prompting class discussion on similarities and differences between the two modalities; having students write pseudocode for their blocks-based programs before comparing the pseudocode to the JavaScript; and finally, having students implement their algorithm directly in JavaScript, using blocks as a resource to reference proper syntax.
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