Enhancing the Teaching of Informatics through

Engaging Experience

Martin Cápay

Department of Informatics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Constantine the Philosopher University, Nitra, Slovak Republic

Keywords: Cognitive Engagement, Experience Activities, Discovery Learning, Physical Computing.

Abstract: There are plenty of learning approaches today, which are based on well-known educational theories, and

which try to encourage students to active participation in the educational process. Educational activities

designed to acquire knowledge from experience lead students to make own abstract or mental models. This

paper describes a set of experiments being conducted in the delivery of computer science courses using the

experience to supplement or replace the traditional model of the lectures. Using physical computing

concepts allows students to develop concrete, tangible products. According to our experience, we should

conclude that children really learn from their attempts and errors even in computer science classes. Our

vision is closest to the experimental learning model do – reflect – apply supported by using well-designed

questioning. Abstraction and conceptualization are preceded by the visualization and manipulation of the

objects or commands. The great benefit of “getting physical“ is a holistic view of computer science which

encourages creativity, promotes learning by doing and even engaging the whole mind and body. We

conclude that relatively simple teaching aid, mobile devices, special hardware, and well-designed online

programming activities could help to explain even abstract computer science underlying concepts through

the experience sometimes more effectively than through instructional model.

1 INTRODUCTION

The student’s disengagement is a huge problem and

challenge for teachers everywhere. When we think

of student engagement in learning activities, it is

often convenient to understand engagement with

activity as being represented by good behaviour,

positive feelings, and, above all, student thinking

(Fredricks, 2014). The engagement takes an

important role also for achievement, performance,

motivation and also for intellectual development.

When students are fixed only for the preference of

getting a good grade, they often select less

challenging or somewhat familiar tasks. Contrary,

students with different goal preferences select tasks

that will enable them to improve their abilities and

skills even if it means being faced with mistakes

(Chen and Pajares, 2010). We need to develop the

internal motivation of the young people and sustain

their interest in acquiring required skills (Skalka and

Drlík, 2018). Modern technology, such as drones

can be used as a motivational tool for engaging

students (Voštinár et al. 2018). We assume the goal

preferences of students are influenced by the level of

engagement and participation during the school

years. Students need to be encouraged to carry out

the responsibility and doing all without worries to

make mistakes. In science, and also especially in

computer science, it is critical to the success of the

educational process that students become actively

engaged in it, rather than passive recipients of the

presented knowledge.

In spite of that, the critics believe that constructivist

methods may result in potential misconception, a

modern learning theory takes place in problem-

solving situations when the learners developed new

knowledge on their past experience and existing

knowledge to discover facts and relationships and

new truths to be learned. In contrast to the

transmissions models, students may likely remember

more concepts and knowledge discovered on their

own.

Therefore, the main aim of the paper is to

describe several experience-based activities

designed for the teaching computer science topics at

the primary and secondary schools, which are based

on the several main characteristics of the most

known learning theories and approaches. This paper

Cápay, M.

Enhancing the Teaching of Informatics through Engaging Experience.

DOI: 10.5220/0007759104530460

In Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Computer Supported Education (CSEDU 2019), pages 453-460

ISBN: 978-989-758-367-4

453

describes a set of experiments being conducted in

the delivery of the content using experience-based

learning approach to supplement or replace the

traditional model of the lectures. Students interact

with the world by exploring and manipulating

objects, wrestling with questions and controversies,

or performing experiments.

2 LEARNING BY EXPERIENCE

There are plenty of learning approaches today,

which are based on well-known educational theories,

and which try to encourage students to active

participation in the educational process. The

following approaches can be considered as examples

of learning approaches, which are common in

computer science: Problem Based Learning (BL),

Project BL, Discovery Learning, Guided Discovery

Learning, Design BL, Student-Centered Learning,

Inquiry BL, and Experience BL. The distinctions

between these approaches are in some respects quite

fine. Computer science is well-suited for the

majority of mentioned learning approaches. The

discipline itself is changing so rapidly, that it is

difficult to introduce students to it without involving

them into the creative process (Foley, 1999).

The 5E model (Engage, Explore, Explain,

Elaborate, and Evaluate) encourages students to

explore science concepts and phenomena, construct

their understanding through self-reflection and

interaction with peers, and relate those

understandings to other science concepts so that they

can reconsider and appropriately change the way

they understand reality (Bybee, 2015). In the Next

Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the teacher

plans learning experiences in which students

construct knowledge through exploration and

investigation. The framework envisions that students

will gradually deepen their understanding of

scientific ideas over time by engaging in practices

that scientists and engineers use (NGSS). Despite

the positive result of using the 5E learning model

science in facilitation and retention in natural

science courses (Ajaja and Urhievwejire 2015),

constructivist learning environment may not cause

the same effects for each (Feyzioğlu and Ergin,

2012).

In Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory the

experience from natural that observation something

is happening, and reflection on that are then

incorporated into the theoretical knowledge that the

person already possesses. Kolb defines experiential

learning as "the process whereby knowledge is

created through the transformation of experience”

(Kolb, 1984). Effective learning is seen as when a

person progresses through a cycle of four stages:

having an individual experience followed by the

observation and reflection on that experience, which

leads to the formation of abstract concepts (analysis)

and generalizations (conclusions) which are then

used to test hypothesis in future situations, resulting

in a new experience. Experience learning theory is

intended to be a holistic adaptive process on learning

that merges experience, perception, cognition, and

behaviour. It is based on a set of assumptions (Boud

et al., 1996) that experience is the foundation of, and

the stimulus for, learning; learners actively construct

their own experience; learning is a holistic process;

learning is socially and culturally constructed;

learning is influenced by the socio-emotional

context in which it occurs. Experimental learning

theory provides a solid foundation for leadership

education (Guthrie and Jones, 2012).

The experience-based learning (EBL) is based on

assumption, that the experience of the learner

occupies a central place in all considerations of

teaching and learning. This experience may

comprise earlier events in the life of the learner,

current life events, or those arising from the learner's

participation in activities implemented by teachers

and facilitators.

A key element of experience-based learning is

that learner analyses her experience by reflecting,

evaluating and reconstructing it (sometimes

individually, sometimes collectively, sometimes

both) in order to draw meaning from it in the light of

the prior experience (Foley, 1999)

Students need to be encouraged to engage and to

participate. This is important because authentic

engagement may lead to higher academic

achievement throughout student life (Zyngier, 2008).

According to Schlechty (2001), students are engaged

when they are involved in their work, persist despite

challenges and obstacles, and take visible delight in

accomplishing their work.

The deepest levels of learning, according to

Bloom's Taxonomy, happen when students are

constructing, creating, and getting hands-on with

learning materials. The great benefit of "getting

physical“ is a holistic view of computer science

(across hardware and software) which encourages

the creation of projects (crafting), promotes learning

by doing and engaging the whole learning mind and

body (Jin et al. 2016). The combination of physical

construction with computer science and coding has a

variety of aspects and outcomes including creativity

(Sentence et al. 2017), cognitive load (DesPortes et

CSEDU 2019 - 11th International Conference on Computer Supported Education

454

al. 2016), student perceptions (Dafai et al., 2014)

and motivation (Kaloti-Hallak, 2015). Physical

computing as we call a process of creatively

designing tangible interactive objects or systems

using programmable hardware (Sentence et al.

2017), even helps students to gain confidence in

programming (Rubio et al.). It can be much more

positive than a more traditional screen-based

experience because of the focus on ideas, rather than

restrictions (Sentence et al. 2017), students

appreciate building real, tangible devices and report

that physical computing platforms stimulate their

creativity (Hodges et al.)

2.1 Methodology of Learning through

the Experience

The significant aspect of the learning model based

on experimentation is that explanation follows

experience. Students are involved in more than

listening and reading. They are developing skills,

analysing and evaluating evidence, experiencing and

discussing, and talking to their peers about their own

understanding. Teachers need to adjust not only the

educational materials but also the way of leading the

course. Our suggestion is followed.

Firstly, the main goal of the activity must be

stated. The content of the current lesson needs to be

divided into well-designed parts with specific goals,

according to the current level of knowledge to all

students. The goals of each part must be clear and

reachable. Reaching of each specific goal must lead

to generalization. The sequence of activities based

on experience, that involves "doing something",

should be used to gain general knowledge (Figure

1). The targeted questioning of students is the most

important and mandatory either at the beginning

(open question) or at the end (generalize question) of

the experience.

Figure 1: Experience as a part of developing knowledge.

Students experience is a precondition for

answering the predesigned questions important to

fluent transition to the next lesson topic.

The knowledge gained by specific activity must

be developed during the followed, more abstract

activity. For example, if we want to explain how 3D

technology works, we will do some short activities

to explain several facts about the eyes, brain, filters,

and stereoscopic illusion. Students discover the

principles of 3D by their own reasoning. Our vision

is closest to the experimental learning model “Do –

Reflect – Apply” supported by using well-designed

questioning. Abstraction and conceptualization are

preceded by the visualization and manipulation of

the objects or commands.

The main goal of the paper is to present how to

manage the lessons to achieve student’s engagement

by experimenting with hands-on material or tangible

devices. This process was evaluated several times,

we observe how to ask the question and which

activity need to be followed. We present the

description of this question-experience-knowledge

process on different types of activities.

3 EXPERIENCE BASED

LEARNING IN COMPUTER

SCIENCE

When we design learning activities, we should take

more aspects into account. The learning activities

varied in their contents, educational goals of the

learning activities, various teaching/learning

methods and using a various aid such as physical

objects or digital devices (Lovászová et al. 2015).

The main purpose of this section is to describe a

set of well-designed learning activities that tried to

motivate and engage the students in improving their

level of knowledge. The activities were evaluated

during the regular lessons, non-formal workshops or

summer camps. They were designed to foster

computational and logical thinking.

3.1 Hands-on Activities

Elementary school children are too young for the

traditional approach to teaching concepts. We need

to encourage them to visualize the problem and use

their imagination in deriving the solution (Edwards,

2004). Students could develop their ability to

understand and apply the fundamental principles on

which computers and networks operate through

Computer Science Unplugged Activities. It is a

collection of free experiential learning activities that

teach Computer Science through engaging games

and puzzles that use cards, string, crayons and lots of

Enhancing the Teaching of Informatics through Engaging Experience

455

running around. The activities tend to be

kinaesthetic, often involving teamwork (Bell, 2010).

We prepared a group of activities how the data is

traveling through the monitor, computer, and

converter to the Internet. The main goal of our

approach was to present binary notation, to

understand the representation of characters using

ASCII standards, how important is to represent each

binary number using the same numbers of bits, the

transformation the digital into the analog signal, how

to protect the data during transmitting (encryption

and decryption) and to sort them using sequential

and parallel algorithms. All activities were prepared

as computer science unplugged supported by

designed questions. An X-binary coding of alphabets

should be used as an example of engaged activity.

We let the student draw up the rules. Question: “If I

want to send the email, how will I encrypt the

alphabets?” They usually set a rule that alphabets

will be represented by numbers and students already

know how to write the numbers in binary notation

(former activity). Question: “How to code A, B, C ...

and Z?” Students probably suggest coding A as 1

and Z as 26. Question: “What if I suggest own

coding, for example, A as 10.” After the discussion,

students must state a common rule for all alphabets

for both parts of communication. They found out the

concepts of standardization. Each part of the

communication needs to have the same rules for

coding. Question: “Here is your coding table. Are

you able to encrypt the text message to binary code

notation and vice versa?” Each group encrypts own

message using binary notation. After that groups

swap the messages and try to decrypt the message

using the same coding table. In most cases, they are

not able to write the original message. Question: “If

you use the same coding table and the same

notation, why are you not able to decode the original

message?" They argue and discuss the process of

encryption. The most usual mistake is that each

group decided to use a different count of bits or kept

out the zeros at the beginning of the message (Figure

2).

Figure 2: Attempts to decoding the binary message.

Instead of that, each group has the same coding

table they had not the same instruction for binary

notation. They realized that coding table without

common rules of x-bit representation is not enough.

Only after this activity, the one possibility of coding

is presented. ASCII is the 7-bit code American

Standard Code for Information Interchange.

This activity was realized several times at

primary school (11 year-olds: 15 participants; 14-15

year-olds: 40 participants), high school (16-17 year-

olds: 30 participants). Finally, we prepared the

workshop for the in-service teachers (20

participants). The activity should take at least one

lesson. We had a collection of such kind of

activities, so we usually try to connect more lessons

to have a block of activities. The effectiveness of the

approach was evaluated with teachers who teach the

pupils. Most of the theme continuously used this

approach during the lessons. They answered that

students are very satisfied and happy to do this

activity.

We can deduce certain experiential activities

conclusions. We have noticed that most pupils are

active and voluntarily involved in teaching. During

the realization, we are asked a few questions that

were in most cases answered correctly, sometimes

surprisingly fast. Presented activity was preceded by

another one, the transformation of numbers from

binary to decimal (and vice versa). After the

finishing of the activities, even the youngest

participants could write the simple numbers in

binary form without using the calculators.

3.2 Robotics with Mobile Devices

Developing of the robotic model involves the

design, programming and construction phases,

which develop different knowledge, skills and

abilities in the area of problem solving, teamwork,

but also the development of logical thinking, social

skills and the ability to plan and test the procedures

and debug solutions. There are many robot kits

based on different principles of programming and

target groups available today. Preschool children

handle programmable toys (Bee-bot, Blue-Bot).

They directly operate with the toy by entering the

sequence of limited instruction. School children

could handle various types of programmable robots

(Ozobot Bit, Ozobot Evo, Edison). Despite the

possibility to create own program, there is no

possibility for extending its functionality through

sensors. Despite the fact, these toys open a big

opportunity for EBL, we want to describe the

activity based on robots that widened programming

instruction and the possibility to extend their

abilities by connecting external sensors. LEGO

MindStorms based on graphical language is an

example of such kind of set. The NXT robotic kit

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model has been widely spread out in Slovak schools.

The kit contains the small computer that was

programmable only via cable connection with a

computer. Even a basic project uploading to the

main brick took more time that was needed to be

engaged. Plugging and unplugging the robots was

boring and discouraging at the beginning of the

learning, keep in mind that not all children were

purely interested in programming. The situation was

dramatically changed when the EV3 version,

programmable using the mobile technology, was

released. All teaching aids should be mobile,

connected wireless via Bluetooth. So the lesson

should be more interactive organized even outside

the computer lab.

The researched questions for students are

followed. Use the mobile application to observe the

input and output data from ports. Question: “Could

you estimate the units in which the sensors collect

the data?” Students may manipulate with motors and

sensors, change the surrounding of the robots and

reactions are immediately shown on the tablets.

Question: “How the motors behave when the robot

goes forward (backward), forward left/right or just

rotate on the spot?” They learn practically how

motors behave via interactive remote control.

Question: “How to move the robot without the

remote control?” A programming environment is

iconographic based on drag and drop strategy.

Touchscreen technology allows students to interact

with tablet computers in a more natural and

immediate manner. They experience several

commands for a robot moving. Question: “Which

commands and in which order do you need to

simulate a car is going out of petrol?” They must

change the power of motors, experience how to

change the displayed picture and played sound.

Application highlights the currently executed

command, so students can easily follow the program

flow and experiment with the command which

freezes the execution flow. Question: “How to move

the robot forward until it comes to white colour?

How does the robot know that the sensor is crossing

the white colour?” The students need to come with

the theory we do not know the length of the moving

in advance. The motor must switch on before and

switch off after the moving. They learn how to

implement the waiting for data from different

sensors.

The students manipulate directly with the robots

connected to the tablet via Bluetooth without the

knowledge of any theoretical bases (Figure 3). It is

intuitive and easy to use. The response is quick, so

students could experiment more times during the

lesson. The more tries they have, the more

knowledge could be inquired by own

experimentation, without receiving the specific

instructions on how to finish their tasks.

We conclude that after finishing the work, the

students were able to connect the robot and control it

using a digital controller, create a simple sequence

of commands in the iconographic language and to

properly use the data coming from the sensors. The

direct interaction with the robot is the biggest

advantage of robotics with a mobile device.

Robotics with tablets is much better than the

combination of robots and computer. The lesson is

much more dynamic, and students like it. Touching

the screen means much more direct interaction with

a device than using a traditional input device like a

keyboard and a mouse.

Figure 3: Programming of EV3 robot connected to the

tablet via Bluetooth.

In comparison with the desktop version, the

mobile development environment has only a subset

of commands. The more complex problem should be

probably complicated to solve via the mobile

environment. However, a tablet is better for the first

introductory classes. It is easier for students to

understand the concepts.

This activity was realised several times at

university (20-22-year-olds: 30 participants), at

computer science summer school (11-14-year-olds:

80 participants) and finally, we prepared the

workshop for the in-service teachers (10

participants). Based on our experience we can

conclude the university students were less flexible as

students from the primary school. Primary school

students were more engaged and motivated; they

even try to formulate new tasks.

3.3 Robotics on Mobile Devices

Ozobot is the miniature programmable robot with

the own intelligence based on randomly generated

decisions. Ozobot will follow Black, Blue, Red and

Green colours. It is able to recognize the colouring

commands by using sensors. At the lowest level of

programming, we can draw a path along which

Enhancing the Teaching of Informatics through Engaging Experience

457

Ozobot passes. Question: “Based on which principle

is the Ozobot moving?” The students have to found

out, the robot randomly decides where it wants to

go. The official application OzoPath and OzoLuck

are interactive games to present a random behaviour.

Question: “How the commands influence the robot

moving?” The game OzoDraw allows us drawing a

path with a finger directly on the tablet screen. The

robot recognizes specific combinations of coloured

commands (ozocodes) on the basis of which we can

control the direction, speed, timing and special

moves. Students can add flashing codes to the path

(e.g. Fast, Turn Left, Tornado, UTurn etc.). Ozobot

performs prescribed operations immediately after the

reading the code, and so the activity is dynamic and

interactive. Question: „Are you able to navigate the

robot to the final destination in the labyrinth using

all of the limited set of commands?” Students use

the proposed labyrinths and a predefined set of

available ozocodes. The aim is to construct a

deterministic algorithm of moving by placing the

ozocodes before the crossroads (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Programming Ozobot using the tablet.

After the experiencing students should prepare

their own paper labyrinths with the extra story

behind (Figure 5.).

Figure 5: Labyrinth with story and sub-tasks.

The math, logic or even a joke could be

included. Students solve the other labyrinth, using

coloured markers by adding the ozocodes. They

need to decide where to increase a speed level, to

decrease a speed, where to turn or where to make a

winner dance. We can achieve the highest level of

programming through an online visual programming

environment OzoBlockly. From the teacher’s

perspective, the Ozobot is an excellent tool for

introductory lessons of robotics.

This activity was realised several times at

primary school (11-year-olds: 30 participants), at

computer science summer school (11-14-year-olds:

40 participants) and finally, we prepared the

workshop for in-service teachers (20 participants).

We can deduce certain experiential activities

conclusions. Ozobot is a simple robot without the

need to design a model, offering a wide range of

programming options. It has a miniature size and a

real resistance to falls. The robot is suitable for the

second grade at the elementary school, but it can

also cover the needs of the secondary school

curriculum in an appropriate range and form. It

supports a wide range of activities.

3.4 Physical Computing with BBC

Micro:bit

BBC Micro:bit (Fig. 6) is a tiny, pocket-sized code

able physical computing device, programmable

computer, a small battery powered circuit board,

designed to make learning and teaching a younger

audience (Cápay and Klimová, 2019). It can be

programmed via a desktop PC, laptop or tablet

through block-based language, MicroPython or

JavaScript. In comparison with most sophisticated

hardware (such as Arduino and Raspberry),

micro:bit is powerful even without any extensions. It

consists of the ARM chip, memory, buttons,

accelerometer, magnetometer, light sensor,

Bluetooth and pins. Using the crocodile clips, we

can extend the possibilities of this device (Hodges et

al., 2013).

The most interesting micro:bit aids we have

experienced was the Adafruit NeoPixel Digital

RGBW LED Strip. Each LED is colored and

programmable, where every color is made as a mix

of red, green and blue color. We use this strip to

teach python lists by creating the Christmas lights.

Question: ”How to colour the strip using the RGB

color model?” According to the pre-prepared code,

where the first LED is already switched on, students

need set to all unlighted LED colour firstly. They

can experience a wide color spectrum. Question:

”How to make a falling snow effect?” They need to

use a loop concept and found out how to switch off

the LEDs. If we want to switch off LEDs we need to

set the black colour and switch on the LEDs.

Question: ”How to make a rainbow that is rotated in

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the loop?” The list must be shifted to the right or to

the left. Question: ”How to make a sparkling

effect?" The concept of a randomly chosen colour

for each LED in the infinity loop must be

discovered.

Figure 6: The microcontroller micro:bit with clips and

LED strip.

We can upgrade the project by creating the

remote control micro:bit, that can be used also like

the effect chooser.

We asked 53 high school students (16-19-year-

olds) several questions in the questionnaire (Cápay

and Klimová, 2019). It was found that the micro:bit

encourages students to work creatively; it is a great

motivator in the classroom. After the first use of the

programming with hardware concept, we noticed the

rise of the motivation to learn programming even

among the ‘non-informatics' pupils, among the girls

and the in-service teacher. We conclude that using

BBC micro:bit is the right decision for those who

want the powerful device to learn programming and

to understand the principles of how the hardware

works at the same time. Programming of micro:bit

microcontroller makes computer science fun and

tangible. Students are engaged because the program

interacts with the outside world through shaking,

tilting, and plotting the LEDs.

4 CONCLUSIONS

Experience-based learning is usually connected with

the natural sciences such as physics, biology or

chemistry. We described several examples, how to

introduce the concepts via experience in computer

science teaching.

Visualization of abstract concepts through

computer science unplugged, as non-formal

education, is an issue that could change the view of

computational thinking. Also, the card tricks should

explain the standard programming concepts such as

shifting, searching and sorting or controlling

checksum. It has been shown that these activities are

helpful. The positive influence of a teacher is a

positive outcome.

Portability, touchscreen interfaces and various

sensors of the tablets provide a big opportunity for

collaborative learning out of the classroom

environment. There are a lot of mobile applications

in stores designed for developing algorithmic

thinking and even programming thinking from early

childhood. The tablets within the computer science

curriculum contribute to the intrinsic motivation of

students. The tablets should be used not only as a

learning tool but also in location-based games, real-

time questioning, and programming.

Evaluation of physical computing concept in

formal education was experienced. We observed that

supporting the programming lesson by using a tiny

programmable computer with a set of sensors and

LEDs is the right way to engage students. We can

prepare a set of tasks presenting the programming

concept using physical computing in such a way that

pupils need to change the sitting activity by playing

activity or hands-on activity realized besides.

Tangible projects are not only engaging and

enjoyable to work on, but also effective in

demonstrating abstract programming concepts for

the beginners.

Programming of micro:bit microcontroller makes

computer science fun and tangible. Students are

engaged because the program interacts with the

outside world through shaking, tilting, and plotting

the LEDs.

According to our experience, we should

conclude that children really learn from their

attempts and errors even in computer science

classes. Generalization should be made after the

experience based on learning tasks. Students used

many tools intuitively. They provide a big

opportunity to discuss openly. It is also important to

choose the topic correctly; not all computer science

content is possible to present only by experience. On

the other hand, teachers should ensure that activities

are designed and carried out in such ways that offer

each learner the chance to engage in the manner that

suits her to the best.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The research leading to these results has received

funding from the project Innovative Methods in

Programming Education in the University Education

of Teachers and IT Professionals (KEGA 029UKF-

4/2018).

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459

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