User-Centered Design in Block-Based Programming
Alexandria Killian Hansen, Ashley Iveland, Cameron S Carlin, Danielle B. Harlow, Diana M. Franklin · 2016
In this paper, we present an analysis of 123 students' (aged 9-12) digital stories created in a visual block-based programming language across three grade levels (grades 4-6). These students were all involved in the same introductory computer science curriculum. Participating students attended the same school and received computer science instruction from the same teacher within the context of the academic day. We analyzed each project for the extent of user-centered design that the student programmed. Specifically, we identified two components of user-centered design: 1) the programmed control choices students used, and 2) if/how they communicated those mechanisms of control to the user. Our work indicates that students in fifth and sixth grade (aged 10-12) used higher diversity of event blocks and coordinated action across multiple sprites at a higher rate compared to fourth grade students (aged 9-10). In contrast, fourth grade students tended to create more simplistic programs, rarely coordinating actions across multiple sprites. This work suggests that the construct of user-centered design within visual block-based programming languages is more complex than previously indicated. Additionally, explicit instruction about user-centered design is necessary, but may be more effective when a student reaches the age of 10 or 11 years old.