A Visual Programming Language for Novices.

Abstract

We present BridgeTalk, a new approach to visual languages for novice programmers. The design of BridgeTalk is based on data about how novices learn to program. BridgeTalk allows novices to program with programming plans -- frame-like objects that capture essential program components like keep a running total and iterate down a data structure. Novices are focused on the interactions between plans, not on the implementation details for a particular plan. Beginning with plans as a basis for a novice programming language, we were forced to develop a programming formalism that can deal with multiple levels of detail, merged plan implementations, and interrelationships between plans. The actual visual presentation for the language is based on six design, implement, test with students, and redesign cycles. Keywords: Visual languages; Novice programming; Programming education; programming cognition.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 30, 1987
Accession Number
ADA189420

Entities

People

  • Blaise W. Liffick
  • Jeffrey G. Bonar

Organizations

  • University of Pittsburgh

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cognitive Science
  • Cognitive Systems Engineering
  • Computer Programming
  • Computer Programs
  • Computer Science
  • Computers
  • High Level Languages
  • Human Resources
  • Language
  • Military Research
  • Natural Languages
  • Programming Languages
  • Psychology
  • Schools
  • Software Development
  • Students

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Artificial Intelligence