AlgorithmExplorer: a student centered algorithm animation system

Author

McWhirter, Jeffrey D.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Comput. Sci., Worcester Polytech. Inst., MA, USA

fYear

1996

fDate

3-6 Sep 1996

Firstpage

174

Lastpage

181

Abstract

Algorithm animation can be an effective tool for understanding the behavior of programs. However, most approaches towards algorithm animation have focused on evermore sophisticated graphical depictions of programs, and not on the process of how students can develop and make use of animations in an educational setting. We describe the AlgorithmExplorer, a flexible algorithm animation system targeted towards classroom, laboratory and individual student use. The AlgorithmExplorer provides an open system architecture for integrating student programs, mechanisms for supporting user input, and a three tiered animation command interface that provides rich animation constructs while also supporting a wide range of student programming abilities

Keywords

computer aided software engineering; computer animation; computer science education; data visualisation; open systems; reverse engineering; user interfaces; visual programming; AlgorithmExplorer; algorithm animation; animation command interface; classroom; education; graphical depictions; laboratory; open system architecture; program understanding; programming; student centered algorithm animation system; student programs; student use; user input; Animation; Computer science; Data structures; Educational technology; Eyes; Laboratories; Open systems; Programming profession; TV;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Visual Languages, 1996. Proceedings., IEEE Symposium on

Conference_Location

Boulder, CO

ISSN

1049-2615

Print_ISBN

0-8186-7508-X

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/VL.1996.545284

Filename

545284