Mediating programming through chat for the OLPC

We built a text-based programming environment that enables youth to design and implement a chat client for the One Laptop per Child XO. The environment allows users to program and chat simultaneously. We conducted two one-week workshops at a Girl Scout camp to test user engagement with the environment. In this paper, we examine how chat mediated the programming experience in a collocated environment and its implications for motivating participation in computing. Keywords Computer science education, programming, computer supported collaborative learning ACM Classification Keywords H5.m. Information interfaces and presentation, K.3.1 Computer Uses in Education

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2009
• Where: CHI
• Authors: Jill P. Dimond, Sarita Yardi, Mark Guzdial
• Keywords: CHI 2009, Computer Supported Collaborative Learning, Environment Allows Users, Human Computer Interaction, Text-based Programming Environment