Современные информационные технологии и IT-образование (Dec 2018)
GAMIFICATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE EARLY EDUCATION OF OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING
Abstract
The article describes the issues of teaching programming in the school at computer science (Computing) lessons. The authors have analyzed how the school computer science (computing) course has changed in recent years. In addition, an analysis of modern approaches to teaching programming in Russia and Western countries has been carried out. Referring to the research of leading specialists, the authors of the article suggest using the technology of gamification in the teaching of programming in school. The authors analyze the foreign experience in teaching programming in the school and distinguish three main software products: Alice, GreenFoot and Scratch. Based on the discussion organized by Fincher S., as well as the work of Kolling M., Hirsch M. and Horton M, the authors choose to approbate the GreenFoot software shell, which is not common in Russia. An important part of the selection is that the software environment allows you to combine instruction in object-oriented programming using Java syntax and gaming technology. In addition, the authors suggest that the use of the GreenFoot software makes it easier to switch to object-oriented programming for children who have mastered the previously visually-oriented software environment Scratch. The article is not limited to theoretical research. The authors describe the experiment conducted at the school, designed to determine the permissibility and possibility of implementing GreeneFoot at the level of 5-6 grade of the general education school (pupils 10-12 years of age). One of the most important goals of this study was the definition of the "boundaries of entry" of schoolchildren in the course of mastering object-oriented programming using the GreeneFoot environment. In particular, the identification of the initial age and the requirements for pre-training. The article describes the results of the experiment, which was based on the localization and preparation of a test curriculum. In addition, the results of incoming and outgoing monitoring are described, revealing the level of initial training of participants, as well as their interest in programming. The authors presented and analyzed the results of the experiment, in particular, conclusions were made about the prospects for the technology of gaming and the applicability of the GreenFoot environment at the 6th grade level. In addition, the authors identified the ways of further research in the field of developing object-oriented programming by schoolchildren.
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