Algorithm Animations for Teaching and Learning the Main Ideas of Basic Sortings

Autor/inn/en	Végh, Ladislav; Stoffová, Veronika
Titel	Algorithm Animations for Teaching and Learning the Main Ideas of Basic Sortings
Quelle	In: Informatics in Education, 16 (2017) 1, S.121-140 (20 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1648-5831
Schlagwörter	Teaching Methods; Animation; College Freshmen; Pretests Posttests; Computer Science Education; Foreign Countries; Mathematics; Educational Technology; Electronic Learning; Visualization; Interaction; Visual Stimuli; Questionnaires; Slovakia + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Studienanfänger; Computer science lessons; Informatikunterricht; Ausland; Mathematik; Unterrichtsmedien; Visualisation; Visualisierung; Interaktion; Fragebogen; Slowakei
Abstract	Algorithms are hard to understand for novice computer science students because they dynamically modify values of elements of abstract data structures. Animations can help to understand algorithms, since they connect abstract concepts to real life objects and situations. In the past 30-35 years, there have been conducted many experiments in the field of usage of animations and visualizations in education, but they showed mixed results. In this paper, we review past research within the field and summarize recommendations regarding the graphic design and interactivity of the animations. In the second part of the paper, we present our interactive card sorting animations with conceptual views. The goal of these animations is to help students understand the main ideas and differences between basic sorting algorithms. In a pedagogical experiment related to these animations, 92 first-year computer science students of J. Selye University in Komarno (Slovakia) were asked to fill in a pre-test, experiment with the interactive animations, and fill in a post-test. The results showed that animations helped students to understand essential aspects of sorting algorithms. However, the participants were not able to understand the sorting algorithms in detail, so other types of animations are needed to teach algorithms in-depth. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Vilnius University Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Lithuanian Academy of Sciences. Akademjos str. 4, Vilnius LT 08663 Lithuania. Tel: +37-5-21-09300; Fax: +37-5-27-29209; e-mail: info@mii.vu.lt; Web site: http://www.mii.lt/informatics_in_education/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01