Position Paper: Programming Can Deepen Understanding Across Disciplines (DRAFT)
Neil C. C. Brown, Michael Kölling · 2011
Computer programs can be used to support learning in various subjects: In particular, computer simulations can be used to explain science subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (as well as wider subject areas such as Economics, Geography and Music). Educational simulation programs are often used as a blackbox: Students are given the program to play with and are told about the principles underlying the simulation, but they are given no opportunity to relate the computer program to the knowledge being taught. The subject of Computing, in contrast to ICT, enables students to read, understand and modify program code and algorithms. These skills can be used, in conjunction with open-source simulations, to allow students to directly read and understand (and potentially modify) the key parts of the simulation programs that they are using. We believe that this use of programming skills can allow for a deeper and more direct understanding of the subjects under investigation, using Computing to support learning in the same way that Mathematics supports the learning of subjects such as Physics.