Article

Teaching programming and language concepts using LEGOs®

Authors:

Cynthia S. Hood,

Dennis J. HoodAuthors Info & Claims

ITiCSE '05: Proceedings of the 10th annual SIGCSE conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education

Pages 19 - 23

https://doi.org/10.1145/1067445.1067454

Published: 27 June 2005 Publication History

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Abstract

In this paper we describe an innovative method for using LEGO® bricks to teach programming and other computing concepts. LEGO® bricks are used to express a special purpose language to build creations out of LEGOs®. Using this language, students can execute and create programs. Both fundamental and more advanced concepts can be taught. The use of LEGOs® increases the tactile and kinesthetic aspects of the learning experience and helps to make abstract concepts more concrete. We have used this method to teach a variety of concepts to college freshmen, K-12 teachers, and K-12 students.

References

[1]

Barnes, D.J. Teaching introductory Java through LEGO MINDSTORMS models. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, Proceedings of the 33rd SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer Science Education, 34, 1, 2002, 147--151.

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[2]

Garcia, M.A. and Patterson Mc-Neill, H. Learning how to Develop Software Using the Toy LEGO MINDSTORMS. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, Proceedings of the 7th annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, 34, 3, 2002, 239.

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[3]

Klassner, F. A Case Study of LEGO MINDSTORMS' suitability for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Courses at the College Level, In Proceedings of the 33rd SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer Science Education, 2002, 8--12.

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Ledgard, H.F. Ten Mini-Languages: A Study of Topical Issues in Programming Languages. ACM Computing Surveys., 3, 3 (Sept. 1971), 115--146.

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Materson, T.F and Meyer, R. M.SIVIL: A True Visual Programming Language for Students. In Proceedings of the sixth annual CCSC Northeastern Conference on the Journal of Computing in Small Colleges. Middlebury, VT, 2001, 74--86.

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Cited By

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Liesaputra VRamirez-Prado GBarmada BSong LZhang JSherriff MHeckman SCutter PMonge A(2020)Future-Proofing Kiwi Kids Through the Use of Digital TechnologyProceedings of the 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education10.1145/3328778.3366902(507-513)Online publication date: 26-Feb-2020
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3328778.3366902
Burleson WHarlow DNilsen KPerlin KFreed NJensen CLahey BLu PMuldner K(2018)Active Learning Environments with Robotic Tangibles: Children's Physical and Virtual Spatial Programming ExperiencesIEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies10.1109/TLT.2017.272403111:1(96-106)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2018
https://doi.org/10.1109/TLT.2017.2724031
Franklin DHill CDwyer HHansen AIveland AHarlow DAlphonce CTims JCaspersen MEdwards S(2016)Initialization in ScratchProceedings of the 47th ACM Technical Symposium on Computing Science Education10.1145/2839509.2844569(217-222)Online publication date: 17-Feb-2016
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2839509.2844569
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Index Terms

Teaching programming and language concepts using LEGOs®
1. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing education
      1. Computing education programs
        Computer science education
2. Software and its engineering
  1. Software notations and tools
    1. Context specific languages
      1. Specialized application languages

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Published In

ITiCSE '05: Proceedings of the 10th annual SIGCSE conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education

June 2005

440 pages

ISBN:1595930248

DOI:10.1145/1067445

Conference Chairs:
José Cunha
Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal
,
William Fleischman
Villanova University
,
Program Chairs:
Viera K. Proulx
Northeastern University
,
João Lourenço
Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal

ACM SIGCSE Bulletin Volume 37, Issue 3
September 2005
418 pages
ISSN:0097-8418
DOI:10.1145/1151954
Issue’s Table of Contents

Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

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Published: 27 June 2005

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ITiCSE05

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ITiCSE05: Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education

June 27 - 29, 2005

Caparica, Portugal

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Overall Acceptance Rate 552 of 1,613 submissions, 34%

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Cited By

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Liesaputra VRamirez-Prado GBarmada BSong LZhang JSherriff MHeckman SCutter PMonge A(2020)Future-Proofing Kiwi Kids Through the Use of Digital TechnologyProceedings of the 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education10.1145/3328778.3366902(507-513)Online publication date: 26-Feb-2020
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3328778.3366902
Burleson WHarlow DNilsen KPerlin KFreed NJensen CLahey BLu PMuldner K(2018)Active Learning Environments with Robotic Tangibles: Children's Physical and Virtual Spatial Programming ExperiencesIEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies10.1109/TLT.2017.272403111:1(96-106)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2018
https://doi.org/10.1109/TLT.2017.2724031
Franklin DHill CDwyer HHansen AIveland AHarlow DAlphonce CTims JCaspersen MEdwards S(2016)Initialization in ScratchProceedings of the 47th ACM Technical Symposium on Computing Science Education10.1145/2839509.2844569(217-222)Online publication date: 17-Feb-2016
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2839509.2844569
Hermans FStolee KHoepelman D(2016)Smells in block-based programming languages2016 IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages and Human-Centric Computing (VL/HCC)10.1109/VLHCC.2016.7739666(68-72)Online publication date: Sep-2016
https://doi.org/10.1109/VLHCC.2016.7739666
Hill CDwyer HMartinez THarlow DFranklin DDecker AEiselt KAlphonce CTims J(2015)Floors and FlexibilityProceedings of the 46th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education10.1145/2676723.2677275(546-551)Online publication date: 24-Feb-2015
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2676723.2677275
Dwyer HHill CCarpenter SHarlow DFranklin DDougherty JNagel KDecker AEiselt K(2014)Identifying elementary students' pre-instructional ability to develop algorithms and step-by-step instructionsProceedings of the 45th ACM technical symposium on Computer science education10.1145/2538862.2538905(511-516)Online publication date: 5-Mar-2014
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2538862.2538905
Franklin DConrad PBoe BNilsen KHill CLen MDreschler GAldana GAlmeida-Tanaka PKiefer BLaird CLopez FPham CSuarez JWaite RCamp TTymann PDougherty JNagel K(2013)Assessment of computer science learning in a scratch-based outreach programProceeding of the 44th ACM technical symposium on Computer science education10.1145/2445196.2445304(371-376)Online publication date: 6-Mar-2013
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/2445196.2445304
Franklin DConrad PAldana GHough SCortina TWalker EKing LMusicant D(2011)Animal tlatoqueProceedings of the 42nd ACM technical symposium on Computer science education10.1145/1953163.1953295(453-458)Online publication date: 9-Mar-2011
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/1953163.1953295
Grabowski LBrazier P(2011)Robots, recruitment, and retentionProceedings of the 2011 Frontiers in Education Conference10.1109/FIE.2011.6142918(F4H-1-1-F4H-5)Online publication date: 12-Oct-2011
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1109/FIE.2011.6142918
Jones SHernandez AOrtiz PAldana GConrad PFranklin D(2010)eVoicesJournal of Computing Sciences in Colleges10.5555/1734797.173482325:4(134-140)Online publication date: 1-Apr-2010
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