Block-based Programming Environments Research Articles

The design space of visualization tools for data science education: literature review and framework for future designs

Data science education is a rapidly growing field, motivating the development of several tools aimed at engaging students in data-related activities across all educational levels. Within this landscape, new block-based programming (BBP) environments have been developed to integrate data visualization functionalities. However, the construction of visualizations entails distinct goals and forms of interaction from those typically used in conventional programming, which should be considered in designing those environments. Drawing inspiration from taxonomies within the field of Information Visualization, we derived a framework for the analysis of educational tools in this domain comprising four categories: supported goals, expressiveness, abstraction, and transparency. We situate six existing BBP environments within the design space of the framework and illustrate its application by describing the design of [anonymized tool], a BBP environment developed to address a gap in data visualization tools for young audiences. Our goal is to contribute to a more theoretically grounded discussion on the topic by bridging the gap between well-established research on professional tools for data visualization and the design of related educational environments targeted at middle and high school students.

Modeling students’ algorithmic thinking growth trajectories in different programming environments: an experimental test of the Matthew and compensatory hypothesis

In recent years, programming education has gained recognition at various educational levels due to its increasing importance. As the need for problem-solving skills becomes more vital, researchers have emphasized the significance of developing algorithmic thinking (AT) skills to help students in program development and error debugging. Despite the development of various text-based and block-based programming tools aimed at improving students’ AT, emerging evidence in the literature indicates insufficient AT skills among students. This study was conducted to understand the growth trajectory of students’ AT skills in different programming environments. The study utilized a multigroup experiment involving 240 programming students randomly assigned to three groups: a text-and-block-based group, a block-based-only group, and a text-based-only group. Students in the text-and-block-based group were exposed to Alice and Python; those in the block-based-only group were exposed to Alice; and those in the text-based-only group were exposed to Python. We found that participants’ growth trajectory in AT skills is linear, with a significant growth rate. Although between-person variability exists across groups, we observed a compensatory effect in the text-and-block-based and block-based-only groups. Additionally, we found significant differences in AT skills across the groups, with no evidence of a gender effect. Our findings suggest that combining text-based and block-based programming environments can lead to improved and sustained intra-individual problem-solving skills, particularly in the field of programming.

Introducing Artificial Intelligence (AI), Swarm Intelligence (SI) and Bio-Inspired Algorithms Concepts to Elementary and Secondary (K-12) Education Using Block-Based Programming Environments: A Simplified Simulation Inspired by Artificial Fish Swarm Optimization Algorithm (AFSO)

Introducing Artificial Intelligence (AI), Swarm Intelligence (SI) and Bio-Inspired Algorithms Concepts to Elementary and Secondary (K-12) Education Using Block-Based Programming Environments: A Simplified Simulation Inspired by Artificial Fish Swarm Optimization Algorithm (AFSO)

Computational thinking in primary mathematics classroom activities

The integration of computational thinking (CT) into primary education is often facilitated using one or more CT tools, such as block-based programming environments and educational robotics. A major concern is that these CT tools often are used to design mathematics classroom activities that focus on CT at the expense of mathematics. Hence, there is a need to investigate more closely how CT tools can be used in primary mathematics classroom activities in ways that enable a stronger focus on the learning of mathematics. Using information ecology as a theoretical lens, this study aims to understand how and why CT tools are integrated into primary mathematics classrooms, and how teachers value the possible contributions of such tools. We draw on multiple interviews with two primary teachers, recordings of planning sessions where classroom activities that include CT were designed, the classroom implementations themselves, and reflective conversations with the teachers after the CT tools were integrated in their mathematics classrooms. A deductive analytical approach to our data revealed that (1) CT tools, to varying degrees, facilitate the learning of mathematics; (2) some CT tools were valued by teachers as a better ‘fit’ than others; and (3) CT tools are primarily used to support the learning of geometry, excluding other mathematical domains. Based on these findings, we suggest that there is a need for more research on the use of different CT tools and their role in the learning of primary mathematics. Moreover, more research is needed to understand how CT tools can be used in topics other than geometry.

Examining mathematics teachers’ creative actions in programming-based mathematical activities

There has been a renewed interest in creativity as a twenty-first century skill in K-12 mathematics education. However, previous research has paid less attention to creative actions than to other learning outcomes, which are often product- instead of process-based, especially in a programming context. Thus, situated in the context of mathematical learning in a block-based programming environment, Scratch, this study seeks to investigate how in-service mathematics teachers develop mathematical concepts and programming skills to demonstrate their creative actions as a form of professional development. By conducting task-based interviews and thematic analysis, we found that testing and iterative practices of reusing and remixing are two important kinds of creative actions inspired by the programming environment, which give rise to new possibilities for doing mathematics in terms of generating new ways to engage in mathematical processes and to understand mathematics from a computational perspective. Our findings will inform teacher education and professional development programs addressing creativity in technology-enhanced mathematics classrooms, with particular attention to the role of mathematics, programming, and their interplay in inspiring teachers’ (and students’) creative actions and new possibilities for doing mathematics.

Transitioning From Introductory to Professional Programming in Secondary Education: Comparing Learners’ Computational Thinking Skills, Behaviors, and Attitudes

Although previous research has provided some insights into the effects of block-based and text-based programming modalities, there is a dearth of a detailed, multi-dimensional analysis of the transition process from different introductory programming modalities to professional programming learning. This study employed a quasi-experimental design to address this gap, involving 64 secondary school students in two groups. For the beginning five weeks, the first group used an introductory block-based programming environment, while the second group used an introductory text-based programming environment. Then, both groups transitioned to professional text-based programming for the subsequent eight weeks. The results showed that participants who transitioned from introductory text-based programming to professional text-based programming (1) significantly outperformed in computational thinking skills; (2) had more code-writing and debugging behaviors and fewer irrelevant behaviors, and (3) had more interactions with the instructor. No significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding enjoyment, confidence, and interest in programming. Drawing on these findings, this study proposes pedagogical implications that could facilitate the adoption of programming modalities within the broader context of STEM education.

Effect of Block-Based Python Programming Environment on Programming Learning

The advancement of computing technology has led to many changes in a variety of fields, and the importance of programming education has been emphasized in many countries worldwide. Despite the importance of programming education, the cognitive burden of text programming for beginners has not been reduced. The goal of this study was to implement an environment where a text programming language is used in a block-based programming environment and to determine at which school level this learning environment affects positive perceptions of programming. To achieve this goal, we conducted programming classes targeting 128 middle school, high school, and university students for 14 weeks and analyzed the effects of the factors of “understanding of programming instructions”, “usage confidence”, and “usefulness” on “positive perceptions of programming”. The results of the analysis by school level show that “usefulness” influenced positivity toward programming for middle school students, “usefulness” and “understanding of programming instruction” for high school students, and “understanding of programming instruction” and “usage confidence” for university students. Therefore, the significance of this study confirms the need to construct the learning environment differently depending on school level, even for beginners.

ISnap: Evolution and Evaluation of a Data-Driven Hint System for Block-Based Programming

Novice programmers often struggle on assignments, and timely help, such as a hint on what to do next, can help students continue to progress and learn, rather than giving up. However, in large programming classrooms, it is hard for instructors to provide such real-time support for every student. Researchers have therefore put tremendous effort into developing algorithms to generate automated, data-driven hints to help students at scale. Despite this, few controlled studies have directly evaluated the impact of such hints on students' performance, and learning. It is also unclear what specific design features make hints more or less effective. In this work, we present iSnap, a block-based programming environment that provides novices with data-driven, next-step hints in real-time. This paper describes our improvements to iSnap over 4 years, including its “enhanced” next-step hints with three design features: textual explanations, self-explanation prompts and an adaptive hint display. Moreover, we conducted a controlled study in an authentic classroom setting over several weeks to evaluate the impact of iSnap's enhanced hints on students' performance and learning. We found students who received the enhanced hints perform better on in-class assignments and have higher programming efficiency in homework assignments than those who did not receive hints, but that hints did not significantly impact students' learning. We also discuss the challenges of classroom studies and the implications of enhanced hints compared to prior evaluations in laboratory settings, which is essential to validate the efficacy of next-step hints' impact in a real classroom experience.

Integrating computational thinking into primary mathematics: A case study of fraction lessons with Scratch programming activities

We presented a design-based study within the context of a four-session Scratch programming activity among 23 fourth-grade students in Hong Kong. Inspired by the computational thinking (CT) strategies and the 5E instructional model, we investigated students’ mathematical learning of fractions in a Scratch (block-based programming) environment. Students developed CT concepts, practices, and perspectives by building a “fraction magic calculator” in groups. This study analyzed the lesson design, students’ drawings, interviews, and work expressing their mathematical understanding of fractions in Scratch applications. The learning tasks were designed to support the students’ fraction learning and utilized computational abstractions in the form of variables, functions, and iterations to formulate mathematical models in a programming context. Students’ artifacts and feedback showed they were interested in learning fractions in a programming learning context, contributing to exercising and improving their fraction concepts and CT. Ultimately, we emphasized the benefits of CT integrated into mathematics education, promoting students’ understanding of fraction concepts, a set of CT abilities (concepts, practices, perspectives), and learning motivation. Moreover, we suggested a set of non-cognitive skills (e.g., socializing, expressing) to enrich the CT perspectives in the framework and show the importance of developing coding communities to co-create digital artifacts among learners. Overall, we highlighted that mathematics teachers should apply and create learning tasks that promote computational thinking to forge mathematical ideas and thinking.

Vygotskian hybridizing of motion and mapping: Learning about geometric transformations in block-based programming environments

ABSTRACT Research on geometric transformations suggests that early learners possess intuitive understandings grounded in motion metaphors, transitioning to mappings. The processes through which students transition between these two conceptions are not fully understood. We propose that Vygotskian hybridizing (related to Vygotsky’s articulation of everyday and scientific concepts) may provide a lens for thinking about the relationship between these conceptions. Design features of block-based programming environments provide affordances to support hybridizing by providing a co-action space for learning. We conducted a comparative case study of four grade seven and eight students working in a Scratch task (Code the Quilts) and a game (Transformations Quest) to construct understandings of geometric transformations. Our findings suggest: (1) students hybridized their personal experience of motion and mathematical knowledge of mapping to build geometric transformations understandings and (2) the co-action space in which students worked promoted distributed interactions between students, block-based environments, and tasks to support hybridizing.

Exploring the Balance Between Computational Thinking and Learning Motivation in Elementary Programming Education: An Empirical Study With Game-Based Learning

Computational thinking(CT) skills are generally regarded as a basic ability for problem-solving and are gradually filtering down to younger age groups. Existing research has attempted to increase interaction and enhance the learning interest of elementary school students through block-based programming environments represented by Scratch. However, criticism suggests that this approach has potential long-term constraints on CT education. Therefore, this study designed a game-based project to investigate students learning motivation and CT performance in different programming environments. A total of 108 fifth-grade students participated in the experiment and were divided into two experimental groups (EG1 and EG2) and a control group (CG). The students in experimental groups all undertook game-based learning, while EG1 students used C++ and EG2 students used Scratch; CG students used C++ for traditional algorithm-based learning. Findings suggest that traditional programming languages with game-based learning can also substantially improve learning interest, which can promote the efficiency of improving CT for students who already have some motivation and foundation for learning. But for students who still lack motivation, are also encouraged to develop interest in a block-based programming environment. Teachers can choose the most appropriate approach for students to find the best balance between learning efficiency and long-term interest.

Browser-based simulation for novice-friendly classroom robotics

Robots are a popular and engaging educational tool for teaching computational thinking, but they often have significant costs and limitations for classroom use. Switching to a simulated environment can eliminate many of these difficulties. By also providing students with a block-based programming environment, the barrier to entry can be further reduced. This paper presents a networked virtual robotics platform designed to create an environment which is highly accessible for novice students and their teachers alike, along with components of a curriculum designed to teach computational thinking skills through robotics programming challenges, including autonomous challenges and in-class competitions. Students access this platform through an extension of the same web interface used for programming their robots, which allows students to collaborate on code and view a shared simulated virtual space. Previously, this virtual robotics platform was used only to facilitate distance education. This paper demonstrates its use in an in-person class during the Spring 2022 semester, illustrating the affordances of a virtual robotics environment for face-to-face learning contexts as well. Students' computational thinking skills were evaluated with assessments both before and after the class, along with surveys and interviews given to determine their opinions and outlooks regarding computer science. The results show that students had a significant improvement in both attitudes and aptitudes.

Utilizing Smartphones for Approachable IoT Education in K-12

Distributed computing, computer networking, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are all around us, yet only computer science and engineering majors learn the technologies that enable our modern lives. This paper introduces PhoneIoT, a mobile app that makes it possible to teach some of the basic concepts of distributed computation and networked sensing to novices. PhoneIoT turns mobile phones and tablets into IoT devices and makes it possible to create highly engaging projects through NetsBlox, an open-source block-based programming environment focused on teaching distributed computing at the high school level. PhoneIoT lets NetsBlox programs-running in the browser on the student's computer-access available sensors. Since phones have touchscreens, PhoneIoT also allows building a Graphical User Interface (GUI) remotely from NetsBlox, which can be set to trigger custom code written by the student via NetsBlox's message system. This approach enables students to create quite advanced distributed projects, such as turning their phone into a game controller or tracking their exercise on top of an interactive Google Maps background with just a few blocks of code.

Block-based abstractions and expansive services to make advanced computing concepts accessible to novices

Many block-based programming environments have proven to be effective at engaging novices in learning programming. However, most offer only restricted access to the outside world, limiting learners to commands and computing resources built in to the environment. Some allow learners to drag and drop files, connect to sensors and robots locally or issue HTTP requests. But in a world where most of the applications in our daily lives are distributed (i.e., their functionality depends on communicating with other computers or accessing resources and data on the internet), the limited support for beginners to envision and create such distributed programs is a lost opportunity. We argue that it is feasible to create environments with simple yet powerful abstractions that open up distributed computing and other widely-used but advanced computing concepts including networking, the Internet of Things, and cybersecurity to novices. The paper presents the architecture of and design decisions behind NetsBlox, a programming environment that supports these ideas. We show how NetsBlox expands opportunities for learning considerably: programs can access a wealth of online data and web services, and they can communicate with other projects. Moreover, the tool infrastructure enables young learners to collaborate with each other during program construction whether they share their physical location or study remotely. Importantly, providing access to the wider world will also help counter widespread student perceptions that block-based environments are mere toys, and show that they are capable of creating compelling applications. Finally, we hope to show that tools can be designed to democratize access to powerful ideas in computing.

Predicting programming performance by using process behavior in a block-based programming environment

ABSTRACT In this study, a predictive model is constructed to analyze learners’ performance in programming tasks using data of programming behavioral events and behavioral sequences. First, this study identifies behavioral events from log data and applies lag sequence analysis to extract behavioral sequences that reflect learners’ programming strategies. Then, learners’ behavioral events and behavioral sequences are selected using linear regression. Finally, a predictive model is built using majority vote. The study uses data from 3151 programming tasks to compare the accuracy of predictive models with and without behavioral sequences. The results show that the accuracy of the predictive model with behavioral sequences is 75.75%, which is 2.06% higher than that of the model without behavioral sequences. This study finds that editing, debugging, and self-regulating behavior sequences can reflect the strategies learners employ during programming. These findings underscore that the model based on behavioral events and behavioral sequences in this study can successfully predict learners’ programming performance and thereby has the potential to support programming instruction.

Can guided decomposition help end-users write larger block-based programs? a mobile robot experiment

Block-based programming environments, already popular in computer science education, have been successfully used to make programming accessible to end-users in domains like robotics, mobile apps, and even DevOps. Most studies of these applications have examined small programs that fit within a single screen, yet real-world programs often grow large, and editing these large block-based programs quickly becomes unwieldy. Traditional programming language features, like functions, allow programmers to decompose their programs. Unfortunately, both previous work, and our own findings, suggest that end-users rarely use these features, resulting in large monolithic code blocks that are hard to understand. In this work, we introduce a block-based system that provides users with a hierarchical, domain-specific program structure and requires them to decompose their programs accordingly. Through a user study with 92 users, we compared this approach, which we call guided program decomposition, to a traditional system that supports functions, but does not require decomposition. We found that while almost all users could successfully complete smaller tasks, those who decomposed their programs were significantly more successful as the tasks grew larger. As expected, most users without guided decomposition did not decompose their programs, resulting in poor performance on larger problems. In comparison, users of guided decomposition performed significantly better on the same tasks. Though this study investigated only a limited selection of tasks in one specific domain, it suggests that guided decomposition can benefit end-user programmers. While no single decomposition strategy fits all domains, we believe that similar domain-specific sub-hierarchies could be found for other application areas, increasing the scale of code end-users can create and understand.

Teacher-student interaction supporting students’ creative mathematical reasoning during problem solving using Scratch

ABSTRACT Studies have shown that learning mathematics through programming can be complex and that the programming itself might even hamper students’ learning. However, few studies have focused on the role of the teacher and the teacher-student interaction that aims to support students’ learning when using programming. The present study examines a didactic design in which a teacher uses well-prepared questions and suggestions that focus on students’ reasoning to solve mathematical problems using Scratch, a block-based programming environment. Forty students, 10–11 years old, solved a geometry problem using Scratch supported by their teacher. The students’ screen activities and teacher-student interactions were recorded. The results indicate that well-prepared general and task-specific questions targeting students’ creative reasoning can help to overcome some of the complexities of learning mathematics while programming. The study furthermore shows that when students have sufficient programming skills, Scratch could even have the potential to support their reasoning and at the same time guide the teacher to give timely feedback.

Computational Thinking and Educational Robotics Integrated into Project-Based Learning.

In the context of the science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics disciplines in education, subjects tend to use contextualized activities or projects. Educational robotics and computational thinking both have the potential to become subjects in their own right, though not all educational programs yet offer these. Despite the use of technology and programming platforms being widespread, it is not common practice to integrate computational thinking and educational robotics into the official curriculum in secondary education. That is why this paper continues an initial project of integrating computational thinking and educational robotics into a secondary school in Barcelona, Spain. This study presents a project-based learning approach where the main focus is the development of skills related to science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics and the acquisition of computational thinking knowledge in the second year of pupils’ studies using a block-based programming environment. The study develops several sessions in the context of project-based learning, with students using the block-programming platform ScratchTM. During these sessions and in small-group workshops, students will expand their knowledge of computational thinking and develop 21st-century skills. We demonstrate the superior improvement of these concepts and skills compared to other educational methodologies.

Effects of a Block-Based Scaffolded Tool on Students’ Introduction to Hierarchical Data Structures

<italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Contribution:</i> In this article, the authors present findings and insights on the efficacy of using an educational block-based programming (BBP) environment—Blocks4DS, to teach the binary search tree (BST). <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Background:</i> For a decade, BBP environments have been a hot topic in the computer science education (CSEd) community to promote interactive active learning of programming. However, little attention has been paid to BBP environments’ efficacy on nonintroductory courses like data structures and algorithms (DS&A). DS&A courses are challenging to students due to levels of abstraction that could be reduced by syntax-free features existing in BBP interfaces. <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Research Questions:</i> 1) Can undergraduate computing-major students learn about the BST using Blocks4DS? 2) Do undergraduate computing-major students understand better BSTs when learning with a BBP environment? and 3) How do undergraduate computing-major students perceive Blocks4DS for nonintroductory computer science (CS) topics? <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Methodology:</i> A mixed-method study was designed, using a control and intervention group with 83 first and second-year CS students, to evaluate the efficacy of Blocks4DS compared to traditional instructional methods (e.g., whiteboard and pseudocode). The authors evaluated its efficacy based on students’ conceptual understanding and perceptions. <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Findings:</i> It was found that, regardless of prior experience with text-based programming languages and instructional approaches, students introduced to the BST with Blocks4DS gained significant conceptual understanding, and performed as well as peers instructed with pseudocode. Also, 83.3% of students found the tool engaging and 72.3% found it useful to learn DS&A. This suggests that Blocks4DS can be used to teach DS&A.

A framework for measuring abstraction as a sub-skill of computational thinking in block-based programming environments

A framework for measuring abstraction as a sub-skill of computational thinking in block-based programming environments