Visual programming languages (VPLs) that support the notion of functional abstraction provide a way to introduce children to programming concepts. By getting children acquainted with such concepts at a young age, VPLs may act as a stepping-stone to help them learn full-fledge programming languages more quickly in the future. We demonstrate an experimental version of The Data Factory that supports functional abstraction and the compilation of virtual devices into native binary classes for re-use. We also address the viability of such a VPL as an educational tool in an elementary school setting.
Advised by Steve Tanimoto
CSE 403
Wednesday
May 9, 2007
4:30 - 5:20 pm