Typeblocking : keyboard integration with block programming in StarLogo Nova

Abstract

Block programming acts as an elementary introduction to computer programming for children and teenagers. There are clear benefits to using the graphical representation of code in the form of blocks, but the dragging and dropping mechanism may begin to feel tedious for users who are more experienced with the system. In addition, the large library of blocks may seem overwhelming to novices who have just begun familiarizing themselves with the language. This thesis will cover typeblocking, a feature that integrates the keyboard with block programming and translates user text input to blocks, and how it improves the experience of coding in a block programming environment like StarLogo Nova.