What Does Squeak Provide Students with?--- A Comparative Study of Squeak eToy and Excel VBA as Tools for Problem-Solving Learning in High School---

Author

Fujioka, Takeshi ; Takada, Hideyuki ; Kita, Hajime

Author_Institution

Grad. Sch. of Inf., Kyoto Univ., Kyoto, Japan

fYear

2006

fDate

26-27 Jan. 2006

Firstpage

42

Lastpage

49

Abstract

We have designed a problem-based learning (PEL) curriculum called ISEC-SeT, which is designed for information science education in high schools using computer programming as a tool for problem solving. We adopted Squeak eToy and Excel VBA as programming environments for the PBL, and have practiced ISEC-SeT at Horikawa High School in Kyoto, Japan, from October 2004 to September 2005. Evaluation by teachers and students focused on the students´ presentations and essays on the projects shows that the students achieved problem solving abilities through the curriculum and that Squeak eToy provides them with a better environment for PBL than Excel VBA.

Keywords

computer aided instruction; information science education; programming; programming environments; Excel VBA; Horikawa High School; Squeak eToy; computer programming; high school education; information science education; problem-solving learning; programming environments; Computer science education; Computer simulation; Educational institutions; Educational programs; Informatics; Information science; Problem-solving; Programming environments; Programming profession; Seminars;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Creating, Connecting and Collaborating through Computing, 2006. C5 '06. The Fourth International Conference on

Conference_Location

Berkeley, CA

Print_ISBN

0-7695-2563-6

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/C5.2006.43

Filename

4019375