立足信息技术课堂,培养学生计算思维——可视化创意编程案例分析

计算思维起源于计算科学,是当前信息技术教育中的研究热点。要将抽象的计算思维能力培养设计成学生易于接受的形式,载体的选择非常重要。而利用可视化图块式编程工具,学生只需要拖动图形就可以轻松创作出蕴涵故事情节的游戏和故事等编程制品。因此,针对计算思维融入可视化编程教学的途径,笔者做了以下思考。     

Java网络编程语言的应用流程探讨

随着网格技术的深入发展和普及应用,企业对应用程序设计提出了更高要求,应用程序的编程日益复杂。但是,基于网格技术的应用程序编写必须根据网格语义实现,应用程序需要能够同时提供多个编程接口的编程模型。由于网格接口数量会越来越多,编程代码规模会更加庞大和复杂,本文利用Java语言的跨平台特征,提出了分布式线程编程模型的构建方案,对促进网格应用程序的开发和设计具有实际意义。     

可视化编程中识别计算思维

计算思维已成为教育研究的流行词。可视化编程可使越来越多的学生学习计算思维。先前的研究大多集中于可视化编程产生的动机水平,并未研究学生从可视化编程中实际学到了什么样的计算思维。根据程序行为相似性语义分析学生使用可视化语言创建的游戏和模拟,提出了可视化自动评价方法,即计算思维模式图,来评价学生创建游戏和科学模拟中使用的计算思维模式,同时也指出学生从游戏设计到科学模拟中计算思维的转移。     

基于可视化编程的自动化编程工具

根据不同管理信息系统及同一系统的不同模块之间在设计和实现上具有共通性的特点,提出了一种自动化编程工具.该工具利用可视化设计过程中生成的资源文件,将其中需要进行编程的控件读出并以表格形式显示于界面.编程者只需对照程序设计书在界面中进行设定,工具依据设定内容实现基于某一设计模式的自动化编程.实际运用证明该工具能有效提高软件开发效率.由于自动化编程的代码规范统一,系统的维护效率也得以大幅度提高.     

河流污染一维扩散模型可视化实现

介绍了连续点源一维模型,并在Visual Basic 可视化编程开发环境下,结合MapX组件技术,利用MapX的符号对象和专题图功能实现了该模型的可视化模拟, 将模型数据与地理空间位置信息相结合,使模型变得更加形象直观.与单独利用某一开发软件相比免去了复杂的设计,节省大量编程时间,提高了编程效率.     

无编程数学模型开发平台MyM及其应用

MyM是一个数学模型开发、可视化和动态模拟应用的集成开发平台。用户不需要了解计算机编程,简杵的写下数学方程,就可以通过图形化界面构建和设计动态模拟系统。介绍了MyM语言和MyM工具,用一个实例说明了构建数学模型和动态模拟的可视化过程。最后说明了MyM架构及其功能特点,对MyM软件的应用进行了展望。     

河流污染一维扩散模型可视化实现

介绍了连续点源一维模型,并在Visual Basic可视化编程开发环境下,结合MapX组件技术,利用MapX的符号对象和专题图功能实现了该模型的可视化模拟,将模型数据与地理空间位置信息相结合,使模型变得更加形象直观。与单独利用某一开发软件相比免去了复杂的设计,节省大量编程时间,提高了编程效率。     

面向最终用户编程的服务虚拟化模型

为了解决面向最终用户编程问题,提出了一种基于动态语义的服务虚拟化模型。该模型以SOA思想理论为基础,采用面向服务计算和Web服务技术,结合本体服务描述语言和描述逻辑,建立服务虚拟化模型,从而实现面向最终用户编程。该模型有效地提高了模型的查全率和查准率,能够在一定程度上解决软件危机。     

基于心智模型的儿童移动端编程平台研究

针对移动端市场,虽然培养儿童编程思维平台的种类比较繁多,但是由于对儿童认知心理学的忽视以及平台界面展示形式的单一,导致此类软件平台的儿童体验较差。因此,提出一种基于心智模型的游戏编程创作平台。在符合儿童心理学的基础上,结合心智模型分析儿童的需求,来设计平台交互界面,使得按钮、图片等元素不仅简单易懂,并且可以极大地吸引儿童的注意。与此同时,为了能让儿童快速地设计出具备简单交互功能的游戏,提出一种基于单链表结构的交互逻辑表达方法。在该平台中,儿童只需要拖拽图形元素,并设置其相关参数就可以完成游戏的开发。实验表明,该平台具有良好的实用性,大部分儿童都可以快速地开发出具有简单交互功能的游戏。该平台不仅调动了儿童主动交互的积极性,而且也提高了人机交互的易用性。     

基于MapReduce的数据挖掘平台设计与实现

MapReduce编程模型的简单性和高性价比使得其适用于海量数据的并行处理.然而,MapReduce欠缺对多数据源、组件复用以及数据可视化支持,这些缺点使用户在运用MapReduce框架进行数据挖掘时暴露出开发效率低下,重复开发等问题.提出了一种基于MapReduce的数据挖掘平台的设计与实现,该设计思想为Hadoop作为大规模数据计算平台在数据挖掘、数据可视化以及商业智能应用方面的不足提供了参考与弥补.同时,基于该方法实现了一个大规模数据挖掘工具.     

The effects of computer games on primary school students’ achievement and motivation in geography learning

The implementation of a computer game for learning about geography by primary school students is the focus of this article. Researchers designed and developed a three-dimensional educational computer game. Twenty four students in fourth and fifth grades in a private school in Ankara, Turkey learnt about world continents and countries through this game for three weeks. The effects of the game environment on students’ achievement and motivation and related implementation issues were examined through both quantitative and qualitative methods. An analysis of pre and post achievement tests showed that students made significant learning gains by participating in the game-based learning environment. When comparing their motivations while learning in the game-based learning environment and in their traditional school environment, it was found that students demonstrated statistically significant higher intrinsic motivations and statistically significant lower extrinsic motivations learning in the game-based environment. In addition, they had decreased focus on getting grades and they were more independent while participating in the game-based activities. These positive effects on learning and motivation, and the positive attitudes of students and teachers suggest that computer games can be used as an ICT tool in formal learning environments to support students in effective geography learning.     

The impact of coupled games on the learning experience of learners at-risk: An empirical study

Offering pervasive game-based learning scenarios to at-risk learners is considered effective and motivating. This experimental study offers a detailed example of an educational setting that couples a mobile game with a PC browser game. It evaluates how this coupling supports engagement and learning for the target group. Nineteen participants aged between 17 and 21 years played and explored the game. The findings through seven-week gaming indicate that coupled games have potential to increase learners’ interest in a topic and can support learning activities.     

Music learning in preschool with mobile devices

Mobile and game-based learning are novel approaches characterised by the use of mobile devices and enabling learning anywhere and at any time. In this paper, we share an experience-based design and a pilot study to introduce music learning in preschool education. SAMI (Software for music learning in early childhood education) is a mobile application consisting of four games which main objectives are ear training, sound discrimination and music composition. The pilot study carried out in a real-life setting with third-year kindergarten children provides empirical data about music learning outcomes and compares an experimental group of children using SAMI with a control group which follows the traditional Montessori bells method. Our study results reveal a number of key findings for the design of preschool mobile games and the potential of using mobile technologies for music learning in early childhood.     

Mobile game-based learning in secondary education: engagement, motivation and learning in a mobile city game

Using mobile games in education combines situated and active learning with fun in a potentially excellent manner. The effects of a mobile city game called Frequency 1550, which was developed by The Waag Society to help pupils in their first year of secondary education playfully acquire historical knowledge of medieval Amsterdam, were investigated in terms of pupil engagement in the game, historical knowledge, and motivation for History in general and the topic of the Middle Ages in particular. A quasi-experimental design was used with 458 pupils from 20 classes from five schools. The pupils in 10 of the classes played the mobile history game whereas the pupils in the other 10 classes received a regular, project-based lesson series. The results showed those pupils who played the game to be engaged and to gain significantly more knowledge about medieval Amsterdam than those pupils who received regular project-based instruction. No significant differences were found between the two groups with respect to motivation for History or the Middle Ages. The impact of location-based technology and game-based learning on pupil knowledge and motivation are discussed along with suggestions for future research.     

Development of a contextual decision-making game for improving students' learning performance in a health education course

Heath education is an important component of the curriculum for fostering children's correct health knowledge and good daily life habits. However, educators have indicated that most children might fail to realize the importance and meaning of health education content owing to the lack of authentic scenarios and daily life experience. With the advancement of computer technologies, researchers have tried to develop multimedia learning content in order to improve students' learning performance. Among various technology-enhanced learning alternatives, digital game-based learning has been recognized as a highly potential approach to motivating students. However, several previous studies have indicated that, without properly incorporating learning content into game scenarios, the effectiveness of digital game-based learning might not be as good as expected in comparison with conventional technology-enhanced learning. In this study, a contextual digital game was developed for improving students' learning performance in an elementary school health education course. A quasi experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach by situating the experimental group in the game-based learning scenario and the control group to learn with conventional e-books. The experimental results showed that the proposed approach not only improved the students' learning motivation, but also their learning achievement and problem-solving competences. Moreover, the significant two-way interaction suggested that the contextual game-based learning approach benefited the higher motivation students more than the lower motivation ones in terms of the advanced knowledge, showing the importance and potential of applying contextual games to health education activities.     

A concept map-embedded educational computer game for improving students' learning performance in natural science courses

Many recent studies have reported the benefits of educational computer games in promoting students' learning motivations. On the other hand, however, the effect of digital game-based learning in improving students' learning performance has been questioned. Several previous studies have reported that without properly integrating learning strategies into gaming scenarios, the effectiveness of educational computer games could be limited, or may be even worse than that of the conventional technology-enhanced learning approach. In this study, a concept map-embedded gaming approach is proposed for developing educational computer games by integrating concept mapping as part of the gaming scenarios to help students organize what they have learned during the game-based learning process. Moreover, a role-playing game has been developed for an elementary school natural science course based on the proposed approach. From the experimental results, it is found that the concept map-embedded gaming approach can significantly improve the students' learning achievement and decrease their cognitive load. Moreover, the students who learned with the proposed approach revealed a significantly higher degree of perceived usefulness than those who learned with the conventional game-based learning approach.     

Design and implementation of the WIPI-to-Android automatic mobile game converter for the contents compatibility in the heterogeneous mobile OS

Given that mobile communication companies choose different mobile platforms, game developers must create content designed specifically for each platform or use a conversion process to provide game content to consumers. In this paper, to resolve this problem, the WIPI-to-Android automatic mobile game converter was designed to automatically translate game contents from the WIPI (Wireless Internet Platform for Interoperability) for feature phones to the Android platform for smart phones. Through the WIPI-to-Android converter, resources such as images and sounds can be converted, APIs can be converted using a platform mapping engine, and source code can be translated using the source translator. These and all other content conversion functions were examined. Test results indicate that the graphics, image output, sound output, and other functions of converted Android games were equivalent to those of the WIPI games before conversion. Furthermore, most converted Android game content responded more quickly than the WIPI game content.     

Assessing the educational values of digital games

Abstract   In recent years, digital games have assumed an important place in the lives of children and adolescents. Effective content design is crucial to the success of digital game-based learning. Therefore, the tool for assessing the effectiveness of game design is accordingly very important for parents and teachers, so that they may encourage or discourage students to play. The purpose of this study is to develop an assessment tool to examine the educational values of digital games. In the first phase of this research, the research team developed the indices for assessing the educational values of digital games. An expert panel consisting of game scholars and professional game designers was established to construct the indices for evaluating digital games in three focus group discussions. Seventy-four game evaluation indices were sorted into seven categories: mentality change, emotional fulfilment, knowledge enhancement, thinking skill development, interpersonal skill development, spatial ability development and bodily coordination. In the second phase of the research, the game designers were asked to assess certain games by using the 74 indices. Meanwhile, the game scholars were also asked to evaluate the same pool of games by the same indices. The assessments by both the scholars and designers were then compared and the similarities were found. This research provided a preliminary framework for future game designers, parents and teachers in assessing educational values of digital games.     

Assessing implicit science learning in digital games

Building on the promise shown in game-based learning research, this paper explores methods for Game-Based Learning Assessments (GBLA) using a variety of educational data mining techniques (EDM). GBLA research examines patterns of behaviors evident in game data logs for the measurement of implicit learning—the development of unarticulated knowledge that is not yet expressible on a test or formal assessment. This paper reports on the study of two digital games showing how the combination of human coding with EDM has enabled researchers to measure implicit learning of Physics. In the game Impulse, researchers combined human coding of video with educational data mining to create a set of automated detectors of students' implicit understanding of Newtonian mechanics. For Quantum Spectre, an optics puzzle game, human coding of Interaction Networks was used to identify common student errors. Findings show that several of our measures of student implicit learning within these games were significantly correlated with improvements in external postassessments. Methods and detailed findings were different for each type of game. These results suggest GBLA shows promise for future work such as adaptive games and in-class, data-driven formative assessments, but design of the assessment mechanics must be carefully crafted for each game.     

Supporting primary students' learning of fraction conceptual knowledge through digital games

With the advent of mobile technologies, well-designed fraction apps can be used to help children gain fraction knowledge, a challenging topic for both teachers and students. The present pilot study adopted a quasi-experimental design to investigate whether children can learn fraction concepts equally well if half of the lesson time (20 min) is replaced with game-based learning. Keeping the total lesson time (40 min) identical, the control group (N = 33) received traditional instruction, and the experimental group (N = 32) was presented with a blended learning approach spending half of the class time (20 min) playing tablet-based fraction games, where each of the learners had their own tablet. The results suggested that in the posttest, the experimental group achieved similar learning gains to the control group and appear to have achieved better performance in the transfer test than the control group. This paper also discusses the efficiency of game-based learning, the mechanism of how fraction games might enhance learning, and the potential of integrating game-based learning in educational settings.