Transitioning from Blocks to Text
Neil C. C. Brown, Michael Kölling, Charalampos Kyfonidis, Pierre Weill-Tessier · Proceedings of the 53rd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 2 · 2022
Block-based programming languages are very popular for introducing young novices to programming. The drag-and-drop interface, with large palettes of blocks, aids initial manipulation and discoverability. When novices continue with programming, they will likely do so by transitioning to a text-based programming language where they are confronted by a blank page and a blinking cursor. The move can be quite a shock. It is important for educators to be able to help with this transition. There are several elements to managing this transition: pedagogical, or tool-based. There exist tools that can show blocks and text, and there also exist tools occupying a middle space between blocks and text.