An Immersive Environment for Embodied Code

Proceedings of the 37th International Conference on Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe (eCAADe) & 23rd Conference of the Iberoamerican Society Digital Graphics [Volume 2]

branco|antonio.menezes.leitao|guilherme.j.santos}@tecnico. ulisboa.pt As many other areas of human activity, the architectural design process has been recently shaken by Virtual Reality (VR), as it offers new ways to experience and communicate architectural space. In this paper we propose Live Coding in Virtual Reality (LCVR), a design approach that allows architects to benefit from the advantages of VR within an algorithmic design workflow. LCVR integrates a live coding solution, where the architect programs his design intent and immediately receives feedback on the changes applied to the program; and VR, which means this workflow takes place inside the virtual environment, where the architect is immersed in the model that results from the program he is concurrently updating from inside VR. In this paper we discuss the possible impacts of such an approach, as well as the most pressing implementation issues. We offer a critical analysis and comparison of the various solutions available in the context of two different programming paradigms: visual and textual.

2004

In this paper, we discuss how meaning-making and knowledge in a particular area depends upon the representations used for expression and interaction. Based on a number of empirical examples, we discuss how new forms of representing computer programs turns the activity of programming from a mental to a largely embodied activity. With this follows that what it means to program, and to learn programming, becomes essentially different as the representational form changes. Thus, the different forms of representations implies not only different activities, but in effect also differences in the content and meaning-making of the activity at large. We argue that concrete representations should not be seen as ways of simplifying learning of particular concepts, but must instead be understood as redefinitions or alternative definitions of the concepts themselves.

Journal on Innovation and Sustainability RISUS

One of the first challenges for the students that begin to study the computing field is to learn how to program a computer. Nowadays, digital immersive environments are being used in Education with positive results. This paper presents a systematic literature review about the usage of immersive environments (VR or AR) in the teaching and learning of logic and/or computer programming. This paper presents the bases of scientific papers used to search the literature, the results and an analysis of the papers found.

2007

How can we make it more appealing for young people to learn about and understand digital technology and computing concepts? We use both a different kind of interaction and a different kind of content to convey computing ideas such as subroutines, modules, abstraction, classes, objects and debugging. A crucial notion is embodied interaction, the idea that the child's interaction with the system should, in part, use her whole body, and not just fingers and eyes. In order to explore this approach we use the magic mirror, a device constructed from an interactive whiteboard and a camera such that when the child stands in front of it, the image she sees is her own but changed or augmented. For example it may show her in costume, or as a non-human creature. As she moves, so does her image. This device can be used as part of a lesson in which children create sequences of movements that can be recorded by the system and then manipulated in various ways to create more complex entities. The proposed work cuts across several disciplines, including education, psychology and computing, and will consider: in what ways can embodied authoring in principle (and in practice) be used to explore computing concepts, and, for each way, what advantages and disadvantages might it offer over traditional methods? In this paper we elaborate on the ways in which embodied authoring can support programming, explain the detail of the approach and report on some preliminary prototyping work we have undertaken.

Current Developments in …, 2006

The research and development of approaches to help students overcome the difficulties of acquiring good programming skills is a concern common to many institutions and researchers worldwide. One such approach is the use of virtual learning environments that allow students to freely explore several contextualized learning activities provided to them. We propose the use of scriptable 3D collaborative virtual environments in particular, as a way to provide support and context for collaborative programming activities. One of the main problems regarding the use of such virtual environments in a formal educational environment is that of connection between real-world goals stemming from collaboration, and their execution in virtual environments. The coordination of efforts typically follows methods of communication amongst participants that are supplied by traditional systems, external to the environments where interactions are taking place. Here we analyze this problem and a pathway to its study.

2019

In this paper, we introduce the project Filigree Robotics, which is a collaboration between an architect, a ceramic craftsperson, and a programmer. The focus is to examine and discuss how skills and embodied knowledge in different professional disciplines can be shared and applicable to one another in a collaborative practice. In the project, we aim to develop a computational tool that holds all the knowledge necessary to materialise a ceramic design that meets the architecture desired. It is necessary that the individual experiential knowledge, which each member has gained through practice, is shared and communicated in and through collaboration, and embodied in the output. For that purpose, the visual programming interface Grasshopper has provided our platform and environment for the collaboration. In the paper, we examine three phases within the collaboration. The first phase develops a common ground within the collaboration, reflected as the very genesis of shape in 3D printing ...

2018

Program and algorithm visualization has been a research topic for more than 25 years. Correct graphical representations have a demonstrated impact on how students understand programming concepts. Previous works on visualization tools based on trees and graphs representations tend to be too difficult for teachers to use them in their classrooms and for students to understand how they work. Moreover, new mixed reality learning environments can improve this learning experience thanks to the latest technology on the market. This paper discusses a whole new set of graphical representations used to visualize programs and algorithms through augmented reality devices. It also presents these visualizations integrated into the architecture of a newly mixed reality programming learning feature for the COLLECE 2.0 Eclipse plugin, a collaborative and distributed environment for programming learning. This new approach is expected to improve students' learning experience in introductory programming courses.

IEEE Access

This work involved human subjects or animals in its research. Approval of all ethical and experimental procedures and protocols was granted by Sunway University Research Ethics Committe under Application No. PGSUREC2020/030. ABSTRACT Currently, there are a plethora of solutions developed to help students learn the basics of programming. However, there is a relative paucity of solutions that cater to problems students face when learning programming that is mainly caused by the abstract nature of programming, misconceptions of programming concepts, and lack of motivation. Hence, in this study, a framework to address the abstract nature of programming and common programming misconceptions is developed. The framework consists of three modules that correspond to each issue, powered by a simulation engine. The first module is developed to address the abstract nature of programming by representing programming concepts with concrete objects in the virtual environment. The second module employs simulation techniques such as interactions and player perspectives to address common programming misconceptions. Lastly, the third module employs elements in the virtual environment to engage students when learning through the system. To evaluate the system, 60 participants were randomly divided into the control group (N = 30) and the experimental group (N = 30). Participants in the control group were taught using a video lecture while participants in the experimental group were taught using the developed VR intervention. Evaluation results gathered quantitatively indicated that the VR intervention was able to significantly increase programming concepts comprehension and address programming misconceptions. Participants also rated the developed VR intervention to be significantly more engaging than the video lecture. INDEX TERMS Computing education, virtual reality, programming.

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2009

Embodied interaction has been claimed to offer important advantages for learning programming. However frequently claims have been based on intuitions and work in the area has focused largely around system-building rather than on evaluation and reflection around those claims. Taking into account research in the area as well as in areas such as tangibles, psychology of programming and the learning and teaching of programming, this paper identifies a set of important factors to take into account when analysing the potential of learning environments for programming employing embodied interaction. These factors are formulated as a set of questions that could be asked either when designing or analysing this type of learning environments.

International Conference of Learning Sciences, 2018

In this preliminary report, we propose a previously unidentified role that instructors' gestures may play in helping students evaluate existing computer code. We find that instructors use gesture to animate processes encoded in the static inscriptions of computer programs in order to make invisible, dynamic phenomena perceptible to students. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the embodied instructional work of teaching programming.