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Pyrates: A Serious Game Designed to Support the Transition from Block-Based to Text-Based Programming

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Educating for a New Future: Making Sense of Technology-Enhanced Learning Adoption (EC-TEL 2022)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 13450))

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Abstract

This paper presents a design-based research which focuses on the design and the evaluation of the Pyrates online application. This serious game aims to introduce Python programming language supporting the transition from block-based languages. The layout of Pyrates’ learning environment is inspired from beneficial features of block-based programming editors. In order to evaluate this design, the application has been tested in eight classrooms with French 10-th grade students (\(n=240\)). Self-generated activity traces have been collected (\(n=69,701\)) and supplemented by a qualitative online survey. The data analysis shows that some of the design choices conduct to the expected effects. The creation of a “programming memo” (synthesized documentation) allows the discovery of algorithmic notions while offering a reference support for the Python syntax. The ease of copy-paste from this memo limits keyboarding. The integration of a syntax analyzer designed for beginners gives students a high level of autonomy in handling errors. However, other choices have rather deleterious impacts. For instance, the creation of a control panel for program executions proves to be dedicated to a trial-and-error programming approach or to “notional bypassing” strategies.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by Region Bretagne, Université de Bretagne Occidentale and IE-CARE ANR project. We thank students and teachers who participated in the game evaluation sessions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université de Bretagne Occidentale, CREAD - EA 3875, 29238, Brest, France

    Matthieu Branthôme

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  1. Matthieu Branthôme
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Correspondence to Matthieu Branthôme .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile

    Isabel Hilliger

  2. Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Pedro J. Muñoz-Merino

  3. KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Tinne De Laet

  4. Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain

    Alejandro Ortega-Arranz

  5. The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK

    Tracie Farrell

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Branthôme, M. (2022). Pyrates: A Serious Game Designed to Support the Transition from Block-Based to Text-Based Programming. In: Hilliger, I., Muñoz-Merino, P.J., De Laet, T., Ortega-Arranz, A., Farrell, T. (eds) Educating for a New Future: Making Sense of Technology-Enhanced Learning Adoption. EC-TEL 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13450. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16290-9_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16290-9_3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-16289-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-16290-9

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