Features of two versions of the BASIC programing language are compared with the features of the PASCAL programing language. The application chosen for comparison was a word processor. The conclusion was that PASCAL had the best language features, but BASIC had better systems capabilities. (MP)

Reports results of two studies that compared the introduction of procedural (exemplified by Pascal) and declarative (exemplified by Prolog) programing languages to Italian secondary school students. Discussion covers learning approaches and problems, mental models, programing techniques, programing environments, and educational applications. (27…

Students learning to program recursive LISP functions in a typical school-like lesson on recursion were observed. The typical lesson contains text and examples and involves solving a series of programming problems. The focus of this study is on students' learning strategies in new domains. In this light, a Soar computational model of…

Ten computer languages are compared and contrasted. A series of programs focusing on the average of two numbers are designed to point out differences in console input, console output, and common arithmetic. (MP)

Describes study of Dutch high school students that compared instructional strategies in a computer programing course. Completion strategy, which emphasized the modification and extension of existing programs, was compared with generation strategy, which emphasized the design and coding of new programs. Future research is suggested based on results…

Describes a study conducted at Iowa State University that investigated the effects of using guided programing instruction to train analogical reasoning. Two groups of students are compared who received different types of programing instruction, and the far transfer and the near transfer of instruction are explored. (35 references) (LRW)

This study investigated the extent to which participation by high school students in a computer programming course leads to improved critical thinking skills, and whether a significant difference exists in critical thinking skill development between participants in Pascal and BASIC classes. Three groups of high school students were tested using…

Discusses the results of an ongoing research study to measure college students' microcomputer literacy before taking a microcomputer course. A brief review of the literature on computer literacy is provided, a comparative analysis of results is given, and a microcomputer literacy index is described that measures literacy and ranks students.…

Argues that trends in upper elementary and higher education computer science programs should lead to programming as focus of high school computer curriculum, and reviews philosophies supporting teaching of programming. Advantages and disadvantages of using Pascal and other languages are discussed and compared. Teacher information sources on Pascal…

Describes a 12-day undergraduate immersion course in computer science in which extensive experience is provided in programming in BASIC and WATIV on microcomputers and time-shared computers. The article includes a discussion of experience with the course at Glassboro State College for the years 1979-1981 which outlines course organization and…

Describes a study which compared the instructional effectiveness of a team-based, peer-review approach to teaching programing skills to secondary school students, with that of a traditional approach. The discussion covers students' attitudes and programing skills development resulting from the implementation of the experimental approach. (Nine…

This document provides both a brief progress report for the Autonomous Classroom Computer Environments for Learning (ACCEL) project and an annotated bibliography of publications from this project, the Computers and Problem Solving Project, and other recent publications from the ACCCEL (Accessing the Cognitive Consequences of Computer Environments…

The effects of the LOGO computer programing environment on creativity were studied for 73 8-year-old third graders (33 males and 40 females) who were tested before and after LOGO instruction. Overall, the LOGO group significantly outperformed a comparison group receiving non-LOGO creativity training and a nontreatment control group. (SLD)

The purpose of this study was to compare experimentally the relative effectiveness of two instructional media--a computer-based display unit and a programed-text booklet--for presenting selected instructional units of a common program for teaching FORTRAN IV. In conducting the study a common program for teaching FORTRAN was prepared and presented…

A programing language called ELASTIC (Expandible Language for Aiding Student Instruction in Computing) has been developed which incorporates many of the basic features and concepts of a typical assembly language. ELASTIC was designed for use in a computer-assisted instruction (CAI) undergraduate course in computer programing and was written in a…