Programming by example and computer-aided teaching of algorithmics: the MELBA project

• Authors: Nicolas Guibert;Patrick Girard
• Venue: IHM 2003 Proceedings of the 15th French-speaking conference on human-computer interaction on 15eme Conference Francophone sur l'Interaction Homme-Machine
• Year: 2003

Usability issues in programming languages and associated environments are the topic of multiple studies, which led to the creation of many innovating ≪programming systems≫ where the user is the center of the design process, allowing non-programmers to create programs without understanding the underlaying concepts. In this paper, we describe the MELBA environment (for Metaphor based Environment to Learn how to Build Algorithms). Its purpose is to use advanced visual and example-based programming techniques to support Computer Science (specifically Algorithmic) learning in higher education, by using concrete examples and metaphors.