Exploring Children's Use of Self-Made Tangibles in Programming

TL;DR

This paper investigates how children create and understand self-made tangible programming blocks, aiming to improve tangible coding tools by emphasizing physical interaction and reducing reliance on digital interfaces.

Contribution

It provides insights into children's conceptualization of tangible programming and offers design considerations for creating more understandable and memorable self-made tangibles.

Findings

Children can effectively design their own tangible programming blocks.

Design considerations improve understandability and memorability of self-made tangibles.

Real-life tests show enhanced engagement in coding activities.

Abstract

Defining abstract algorithmic structures like functions and variables using self-made tangibles can enhance the usability and affordability of the tangible programming experience by maintaining the input modality and physical interaction throughout the activity and reducing the dependence on electronic devices. However, existing tangible programming environments use digital interfaces to save abstract definitions such as functions and variables, as designing new tangibles is challenging for children due to their limited experience using abstract definitions. We conducted a series of design workshops with children to understand their self-made tangible creation abilities and develop design considerations for tangible computing such as paper programming. This paper reports: 1) Our insights on how students conceptualize and design tangible programming blocks, 2) Design considerations of self-made tangibles to yield higher understandability and memorability, 3) Tests of our design considerations in creating self-made tangibles in real-life coding activities.