Need Finding for an Embodied Coding Platform: Educators’ Practices and Perspectives

Tommy Sharkey, Tommy Sharkey, Robert Twomey, Robert Twomey, Amy Eguchi, Monica Sweet, Ying Wu

2022

Abstract

Eight middle- and high-school Computer Science (CS) teachers in San Diego County were interviewed about the major challenges their students commonly encounter in learning computer programming. We identified strategic design opportunities that is, challenges and needs that can be addressed in innovative ways through the affordances of Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR). Thematic Analysis of the interviews yielded six thematic clusters: Tools for Learning, Visualization and Representation, Pedagogical Approaches, Classroom Culture, Motivation, and Community Connections. Within the theme of visualization, focal clusters centered on visualizing problem spaces and using metaphors to explain computational concepts, indicating that an AR/VR coding system could help users to represent computational problems by allowing them to build from existing embodied experiences and knowledge. Additionally, codes clustered within the theme of learning tools reflected educators’ preference for web-based IDEs, which involve minimal start-up costs, as well as concern over the degree of transfer in learning between block- and text-based interfaces. Finally, themes related to motivation, community, and pedagogical practices indicated that the design of an AR coding platform should support collaboration, self-expression, and autonomy in learning. It should also foster self-efficacy and learners’ ability to address lived experience and real-world problems through computational means.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Sharkey T., Twomey R., Eguchi A., Sweet M. and Wu Y. (2022). Need Finding for an Embodied Coding Platform: Educators’ Practices and Perspectives. In Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 1: CSEDU, ISBN 978-989-758-562-3, pages 216-227. DOI: 10.5220/0011000200003182

in Bibtex Style

@conference{csedu22,
author={Tommy Sharkey and Robert Twomey and Amy Eguchi and Monica Sweet and Ying Wu},
title={Need Finding for an Embodied Coding Platform: Educators’ Practices and Perspectives},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 1: CSEDU,},
year={2022},
pages={216-227},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0011000200003182},
isbn={978-989-758-562-3},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 1: CSEDU,
TI - Need Finding for an Embodied Coding Platform: Educators’ Practices and Perspectives
SN - 978-989-758-562-3
AU - Sharkey T.
AU - Twomey R.
AU - Eguchi A.
AU - Sweet M.
AU - Wu Y.
PY - 2022
SP - 216
EP - 227
DO - 10.5220/0011000200003182