Block-based visual programming tools, such as Scratch, Alice, and MIT App Inventor, provide an intuitive and easy-to-use editing interface through which to promote programming learning for novice students of various ages. However, very little attention has been paid to investigating these tools' overall effects on students' academic achievement…

This paper reports on a series of introductory programming workshops, initially targeting female high school students, which utilised Lego Mindstorms robots. Cognitive load theory (CLT) was applied to the instructional design of the workshops, and a controlled experiment was also conducted investigating aspects of the interface. Results indicated…

Probeware is increasingly being implemented in science classrooms because it is less expensive than it used to be and improvements in hardware and software have made it more accessible to students and teachers. Many probes or sensors can now simply be connected to a computer, calculator, or other handheld device, and will immediately begin to…