A review of the research on techniques for increasing the novice's understanding of computers and computer programming, this paper considers the potential usefulness of five tentative recommendations pertinent to the design of computer literacy curricula: (1) provide the learner with a concrete model of the computer; (2) encourage the learner to…

This 5-section report summarizes the results of a project concerned with how novices learn to become creative educational computer users. Based on a cognitive analysis of elementary programming statements in BASIC and calculator language into conceptual units, the project builds on previous research on learning BASIC programming. A general…

A study designed to serve as an initial step in building a theory of computer literacy was conducted to provide new information concerning how humans think about calculators and to determine how individual differences in students' intuitions affect their understanding and use of the calculator. Thirty-three expert and 33 novice calculator users…

Thirty-three novices and 33 expert calculator users took a test in which they predicted what number would be in the calculator's display after a sequence of button presses (such as 2 + 3 +). Subjects' answers did not depend on the brand of calculator they actually owned. Simple production systems models were fit to the performance of each subject.…

This three-part volume provides a summary, for use by practitioners, of a project concerned with how novices learn to become creative educational computer users. The first chapter examines techniques for increasing the novice's understanding of computers and computer programming, and specifically analyzes the potential usefulness of five…