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"Blockly (Computer programming language)."
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Coding with Anna and Elsa : a Frozen guide to Blockly
Discover coding with Blockly with the help of friends from Frozen. Step-by-step instructions guide readers through exercises to teach sequencing, debugging, and more. Readers can try out the skills they learn in a code.org companion site-- Provided by publisher.
Book
Effects of teaching a computer programming language via hybrid interface on anxiety, cognitive load level and achievement of high school students
In this study, based on quasi-experimental research, was investigated the effects of teaching Python programming language via Blockly tool, which had hybrid interface, on students’ computer programming anxiety, cognitive load level, and achievement. Participants were 90 high school students, 44 of them in experimental group (hybrid interface) and 46 of them in control group (non-hybrid interface). According to results, there was a meaningful difference between programming achievement scores of students in favor of experimental group while there was no difference in terms of computer programming anxiety between groups. Moreover, after 10-week implementation process, students’ anxiety increased in each group. It was found out cognitive load levels of both groups in the first week were higher than final week. Although both weekly and 10-week intrinsic, extraneous, germane, and total cognitive load levels of experimental group were lower than control group, there was no significantly difference between groups. Consequently, it can be said that programming via hybrid interface, using Blockly, has not an effect on students’ computer programming anxiety positively whereas it helps to keep cognitive load at low level and to increase students’ programming success more. It is recommended that considering these results to make computer programming education is more efficient in high schools and administrators encourage the teachers to use programming tool had hybrid interface such as Blockly.
Journal Article
NNBlocks: a Blockly framework for AI computing
Deep learning compiler tool, Tensor Virtual Machine (TVM), has excellent deployment, compilation, and optimization capabilities supported by the industry following the vigorous growth in neural networks (NN). It has a unified intermediate representation (IR) format that can provide efficient compilation and portability. However, its high operational complexity requires considerable effort in development. For beginners with programming backgrounds, a new and easy-to-use design approach is needed. This paper proposes a visual concept approach that can execute artificial intelligence (AI) computing using block-based tools with AI knowledge. This research also develops a web-based NNBlocks framework that uses this approach to integrate with TVM. We conduct experiments to evaluate this approach: (1) interviewees assessed intuition through operating. (2) Interviewees answered a Usability Metric for User Experience (UMUX) to evaluate usability. (3) Interviewees answered the significance of the theme survey assessment. (4) The impact on the system was evaluated through experiments. The results indicate that interviewees respond positively to the intuitiveness of the framework. The usability evaluation of UMUX meets expectations. The theme survey shows that the framework is significant for AI learning. The experiments of the impact indicate that the framework will not burden the system.
Journal Article
BlocklyAR: A Visual Programming Interface for Creating Augmented Reality Experiences
State-of-the-art tools for creating augmented reality (AR) applications often depend on a specific programming language and the deployed target devices. The typing syntax of a program is error-prone, and device dependency makes it difficult to share newly created AR applications. This paper presents BlocklyAR, a novel web-based visual programming interface for creating and generating an AR application. This tool is intended for non-programmers (young learners and enthusiasts) who are interested in making an AR application. The goals of this tool are: (1) to help young learners and enthusiasts express their programming ideas without memorizing syntax, (2) to enable users to perceive their expressions, (3) to enable learners to generate an AR application with minimal effort, and (4) to support users by allowing them to share newly created AR applications with others. BlocklyAR uses Blockly for creating a palette of commands and AR.js for transcribing commands into AR experience. The applicability of BlocklyAR was demonstrated through a use case where an existing AR application was recreated by using our tool. The result showed that our tool could yield an equivalent product. We evaluated the visual tool with the help of 66 users to gather perspectives on the specific benefits of employing BlocklyAR in producing an AR application. The technology acceptance model was adapted to assess an individual’s acceptance of information technology.
Journal Article
FOSSBot: An Open Source and Open Design Educational Robot
In the last few years, the interest in the use of robots in STEM education has risen. However, their main drawback is the high cost, which makes it almost impossible for schools to have one robot per student. Another drawback is the proprietary nature of commercial solutions, which limits the ability to expand or adapt the robot to educational needs. Different robot kit versions, which have different electronics and programming interfaces and target different age groups, make the decision of educators on which robot to use in STEM education even more complicated. In this work, we propose a new low-cost 3D-printable and unified software-based solution that can cover the needs of all age groups, from kindergarten children to university students. The solution is driven by open source and open hardware ideas, with which, we believe we will help educators in their work. We provide detail on the 3D-printable robot parts and its list of electronics that allow for a wide range of educational activities to be supported, and explain its flexible software stack that supports four different operating modes. The modes cover the needs of users that do not know or want to program the robot, users that prefer block-based programming and less or more experienced programmers who want to take full control of the robot. The robot implements the principles of continuous integration and deployment and allows for easy updates to the latest software version through its web-based administration panel. Though, in its first steps of development and testing, the proposed robot has a huge potential, due to its open nature and the community of students, researchers and educators, that potential has kept growing. A pilot at selected schools, a performance evaluation of various technical aspects and a comparison with state-of-the-art platforms will soon follow.
Journal Article