A mobile app for algorithms learning in engineering education: Drag and drop approach

Abstract

Algorithms, taken in the first year of university, is one of the core courses of the computer science department. Traditional learning systems have some restrictions as they are teacher, class, and time-based. However, distance education is one of the popular concepts of today since it has the flexibility of time and choice of location. Mobile learning, which is a subbranch of distance education provides users opportunities to learn through educational mobile applications. In the present study, an application to run on smart devices running the IOS operating system for engineering students to be used in supporting the basic algorithm education is described. The student can both get theoretical knowledge about concepts of algorithms, and test himself/herself with questions in the question bank. There are three types of questions, such as multiple-choice, true/false, and flowchart designed by the dragging-and-dropping method. The main contribution of this application is that the users can design a flowchart from beginning to end on screen by locating any flowchart components provided on the palette. They also have the opportunity to check their own solutions according to the inserted questions and answers in the database. The application was tested on a group of computer engineering undergraduate students from Mus Alparslan University. In that case, the application is evaluated by both an exam and user surveys. The results of the exam show that the presented application had a positive effect on students' success. Besides, the outcomes of the surveys have also given positive feedback.