Tangible programming elements for young children

Tangible programming elements offer the dynamic and programmable properties of a computer without the complexity introduced by the keyboard, mouse and screen. This paper explores the extent to which programming skills are used by children during interactions with a set of tangible programming elements: the Electronic Blocks. An evaluation of the Electronic Blocks indicates that children become heavily engaged with the blocks, and learn simple programming with a minimum of adult support. Keywords Education, programming, children, tangible interface

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2002
• Where: CHI
• Authors: Peta Wyeth, Helen C. Purchase
• Keywords: CHI 2002, Electronic Blocks, Human Computer Interaction, Tangible Interface, Tangible Programming Elements