Using A Programing Language (APL), a "computer glass box" was designed to stimulate students to think about selected concepts as well as to elucidate and reveal understanding. This approach is pedagogically suitable for a wide range of educational levels--from elementary school children to university graduate students. Using APL computer…

Nonprogrammers learned a computer programming language and took a transfer posttest. Subjects who were given pretraining with a model of the computer before learning performed better on novel transfer and worse on near transfer relative to no-pretraining subjects. (Author/DEP)

This discussion of the kind of knowledge acquired by a novice learning BASIC programming and how this knowledge may be most efficiently acquired suggests that people who do programming acquire three basic skills that are not obvious either in instruction or in traditional performance: (1) the ability to analyze each statement into a type of…

Discussion of expert systems and intelligent tutoring systems in the education field highlights an expert system that was developed to enhance the learning process in the field of grammatical constructs. Topics addressed include representing the natural language; parsing; LOGOOP (Logo in Object-Oriented Programing); and user-system interface. (11…

Describes Prolog programing language and provides an overview of articles in this special issue and a forthcoming one that focus on improving the use of Prolog in elementary and secondary schools as well as colleges. Topics discussed include problems related to teaching and learning Prolog, and students and their misconceptions about Prolog. (38…

A discussion of the computer "glass box", which is a bold new approach to teaching children concepts using A Programing Language. (Author)

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 discussion of the problem of how it is possible for a verbal student to learn from a computer unless the machine can partially understand his language. (Author)

Some 120 undergraduate students participated in experiments to learn how novice computer programers learn to interact with the computer. Two instructional booklets were used: A "rule" booklet consisted of definitions and examples of seven modified FORTRAN statements and appropriate grammar rules; the "model" booklet was…

Arguing that the most widespread argument in favor of the teaching of programming concerns its possible impact on generalizable cognitive skills, this paper addresses the "how" of transfer. The outlines of a theory of the mechanisms of transfer are presented, the theory is used to examine the contrasts between certain studies that did…

Comparison of the process of problem solving using a conventional procedural computer programing language (e.g., BASIC, Logo, Pascal), with the process when using a logic programing language (i.e., Prolog), focuses on the potential of the two types of programing languages to facilitate the transfer of problem-solving skills, cognitive development,…

The study examines the use of LOGO, a computer language, with 19 learning disabled (LD) and 19 non-LD students in grades 4-6. Ss were randomly assigned to one of two instructional groups: sequential or whole-task, each with 10 LD and 10 non-LD students. The sequential method features a carefully ordered plan for teaching LOGO commands; the…

A brief, general discussion of the role of CAI in instruction. (HB)

This first in a projected series of five articles discusses artificial intelligence and its impact on education. Highlights include the history of artificial intelligence and the impact of microcomputers; learning processes; human factors and interfaces; computer assisted instruction and intelligent tutoring systems; logic programing; and expert…

This paper reports the results of a phenomenographic study which focused on identifying and describing the conceptions of programming and related phenomena of about 120 computer science and computer engineering students learning to program. The report begins by tracing developments in the students' conceptions of programming and its parts, and…