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Toque: designing a cooking-based programming language for and with children

Published: 10 April 2010 Publication History

Abstract

An intergenerational design team of children (ages 7-11 years old) along with graduate students and faculty in computer science and information studies developed a programming language for children, Toque. Concrete real-world cooking scenarios were used as programming metaphors to support an accessible programming learning experience. The Wiimote and Nunchuk were used as physical programming input devices. The programs that were created were pictorial recipes which dynamically controlled animations of an on-screen chef preparing virtual dishes in a graphical kitchen environment. Through multiple design sessions, programming strategies were explored, cooking metaphors were developed and, prototypes of the Toque environment were iterated. Results of these design experiences have shown us the importance of pair-programming, programming by storytelling, parallel programming, function-argument relationships, and the role of tangibility in overcoming challenges with constraints imposed by the system design.

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    cover image ACM Conferences
    CHI '10: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
    April 2010
    2690 pages
    ISBN:9781605589299
    DOI:10.1145/1753326
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    Published: 10 April 2010

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    Author Tags

    1. children
    2. design
    3. education
    4. programming languages
    5. tangible uis

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    • (2021)The Effect of Programming Classes with Tangible Scratch Blocks on the Programming Interest of 6th Grade Elementary School StudentsInternational Journal of Information and Education Technology10.18178/ijiet.2021.11.9.154211:9(405-409)Online publication date: 2021
    • (2020)Game Mechanics Supporting a Learning and Playful Experience in Educational Escape GamesGlobal Perspectives on Gameful and Playful Teaching and Learning10.4018/978-1-7998-2015-4.ch007(143-162)Online publication date: 2020
    • (2020)The Effects of a Visual Execution Environment and Makey Makey on Primary School Children Learning Introductory Programming ConceptsIEEE Access10.1109/ACCESS.2020.30416868(217800-217815)Online publication date: 2020
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    • (2018)Tangible programming for childrenProceedings of the 30th Conference on l'Interaction Homme-Machine10.1145/3286689.3286711(241-249)Online publication date: 23-Oct-2018
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