Construction of a learning environment for algorithm and programming where learners operate objects in a domain world

Abstract

Recently, non-engineers are becoming to learn algorithms and programs. Although learners' backgrounds have been greatly changed, programming/algorithm education methods remain unchanged. In a typical method, learners are given the grammar of a programming language, an algorithm and some exercises. In such a method, however, many learners who do not understand the algorithm repeat a trial-and-error process without considering the algorithm. Hence, our system can lets learners externalise their understanding of an algorithm by operating objects in a domain world before they code a program. In this paper, we describe the architecture of our system, and the result of our evaluation.