System description as a tool for teaching programming

  • Authors:

  • Lars Mathiassen

  • Affiliations:

  • Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark

  • Venue:
  • ACM SIGCSE Bulletin
  • Year:
  • 1980

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Abstract

The paper shows by an example how system description can be used as a starting-point for teaching programming to beginners. The system description techniques used are based upon the philosophy developed within the DELTA project. In each phase of the teaching process a different language tool is used. In the first phase we use a very informal system description tool. In the second phase we use a more formalized system description tool, while still allowing a certain amount of informal language. Finally in the third phase a totally formalized system description tool--in this case the programming language SIMULA--is used.