Blocks, text, and the space between: The role of representations in novice programming environments

The pilot study gave us the opportunity to test out a number of components of the study design, including our attitudinal and content assessments and our curricular materials, interview protocols, and data collection strategies. While the pilot study yielded numerous useful insights, the choice of environment (Snap!) and the lack of a full text-based condition limited our ability to answer our stated research questions. In the next iteration of the study we will be using a customized version of Pencil Code (Fig. 1), which will give us isomorphic blocks, text, and hybrid interfaces. Our expectation is that the second iteration of the study will provide that data necessary to answer the questions at the heart of this dissertation; namely the relationship between programming modality and understanding in introductory high school programing classrooms, and insight into the design of introductory programming tools that can provide guidance on the creation of the next generation of computer science learning environments. In doing so, we hope to contribute to the development of tools and curricula that will prepare today´s students for the computational futures that await them.