Design of a blocks-based environment for introductory programming in Python

Matthew James Poole

doi:10.1109/BLOCKS.2015.7368996

Design of a blocks-based environment for introductory programming in Python

Matthew James Poole

School of Computing

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

254 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This paper details the design of a visual blocks-based tool for editing Python programs. Its purpose is to close the gap between programming using a simplified blocks-based language and textual programming in a mainstream language. As well as helping to guarantee the syntactic validity of programs, the tool aims to reduce the occurrence of run-time errors, a source of learner frustration with dynamic languages, by ensuring that constructed programs will remain well-typed during execution. The design promotes understanding of how data types are used in the language by representing them using colors: each expression block is colored according to its type, and each unfilled hole contains colors which indicate valid argument types. Connected blocks preserve conventional use of whitespace, demonstrating good practice for novice programmers.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2015 IEEE Blocks and Beyond Workshop
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Number of pages	4
ISBN (Electronic)	978-1467383677
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/BLOCKS.2015.7368996
Publication status	Published - 4 Jan 2016
Event	Blocks and Beyond - Lessons and Directions for First Programming Environments - Atlanta, United States Duration: 22 Oct 2015 → 22 Oct 2015

Workshop

Workshop	Blocks and Beyond - Lessons and Directions for First Programming Environments
Country/Territory	United States
City	Atlanta
Period	22/10/15 → 22/10/15

Keywords

Blocks-based programming
Introductory programming
Python

Access to Document

10.1109/BLOCKS.2015.7368996

postprint
© 2016 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.
Accepted author manuscript (Post-print), 185 KB

3 Citations
1 Conference contribution

Extending the design of a blocks-based Python environment to support complex types
Poole, M., 1 Dec 2017, Proceedings of Blocks and Beyond 2: 2nd Workshop on Lessons and Directions for First Programming Environments. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 7 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Open Access
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Cite this

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title = "Design of a blocks-based environment for introductory programming in Python",

abstract = "This paper details the design of a visual blocks-based tool for editing Python programs. Its purpose is to close the gap between programming using a simplified blocks-based language and textual programming in a mainstream language. As well as helping to guarantee the syntactic validity of programs, the tool aims to reduce the occurrence of run-time errors, a source of learner frustration with dynamic languages, by ensuring that constructed programs will remain well-typed during execution. The design promotes understanding of how data types are used in the language by representing them using colors: each expression block is colored according to its type, and each unfilled hole contains colors which indicate valid argument types. Connected blocks preserve conventional use of whitespace, demonstrating good practice for novice programmers. ",

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AB - This paper details the design of a visual blocks-based tool for editing Python programs. Its purpose is to close the gap between programming using a simplified blocks-based language and textual programming in a mainstream language. As well as helping to guarantee the syntactic validity of programs, the tool aims to reduce the occurrence of run-time errors, a source of learner frustration with dynamic languages, by ensuring that constructed programs will remain well-typed during execution. The design promotes understanding of how data types are used in the language by representing them using colors: each expression block is colored according to its type, and each unfilled hole contains colors which indicate valid argument types. Connected blocks preserve conventional use of whitespace, demonstrating good practice for novice programmers.

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KW - Introductory programming

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DO - 10.1109/BLOCKS.2015.7368996

M3 - Conference contribution

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T2 - Blocks and Beyond - Lessons and Directions for First Programming Environments

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ER -

Design of a blocks-based environment for introductory programming in Python

Abstract

Workshop

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

Extending the design of a blocks-based Python environment to support complex types

Cite this