ActionScript: a gentle introduction to programming
Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges
Constructivist approaches for teaching computer programming
Proceedings of the 6th conference on Information technology education
Using storytelling to motivate programming
Communications of the ACM - Creating a science of games
Teaching programming using bricolage
Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges
Education: Alice 3: concrete to abstract
Communications of the ACM - A Blind Person's Interaction with Technology
Teaching programming concepts using an icon-based software designtool
IEEE Transactions on Education
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This paper addresses an issue in a larger research context which seeks to establish that individuals with minimal mathematical training can acquire fundamental programming skills through a more gradual and evolutionary teaching approach. A variety of teaching techniques will be discussed, but the focus here is on a current impediment to success that many students exhibit, namely a reluctance to modify a model program. The students are encouraged to experiment with sample program by trial-and-error substitutions of values, variables and calculations in order to achieve a desired outcome. The primary discussion will revolve around a visual metaphor provided to the students in the form of a game, and its influence on helping students overcome their inhibition to experimenting with programs.