Potential benefits to students

1
Dr. Graham McAllister Sonic Arts Research Centre
(SARC)
How To Think (Like a Computer Scientist)
Introduction The pedagogy of computer
programming is traditionally complex due to two
skills being taught simultaneously problem
solving and the computer programming language
itself. As a result, it has been shown that the
majority of students cannot differentiate between
the two processes and often think that writing
software is merely learning the syntax of a
language.
Aims of the Project The How to Think project
aims to remove the focus on any one particular
computer language by teaching the concepts behind
computer programming in the form of an
Internet-based tutorial. The main aim is
therefore to separate the problem solving nature
of computer programming from the computer
language syntax.

• Potential benefits to students
• Clear understanding of the two distinct
  activities (problem solving and computer
  programming).
• Tutorial can be taken anytime (Internet-based)
  and repeated as often as a student requires
  (independent teaching).
• Programming is now visual via Lego Mindstorms,
  students can relate a line of code directly with
  a visual action.
• Programming is fun!

Lego Mindstorms Microcontroller
Projects wider applicability An interesting
aspect of this project is the introduction of
Lego Mindstorms. This can be thought of as
traditional Lego which can be attached to a
computer and given instructions. This could be a
considerable breakthrough for the teaching of
computer programming, as for the first time,
students can visualise how their software is
running. Currently one of the key obstacles of
learning programming is that the students cannot
see what they are doing. With the combination
of the Internet-based problem solving tutorial,
and the visually oriented programming of Lego
Mindstorms, it is intended that students will
become better problem solvers, thereby providing
a transferable skill which is common to all
programming languages.