Student ability and difficulties with transfer from a block-based programming language into other programming languages: a case study in Colombia

ABSTRACT

Background and context

Transfer is a process where students apply their learning to different contexts. This process includes using their knowledge to solve problems with similar complexity, and in new contexts. In the context of programming, transfer also includes being able to understand and use different programming languages.

Objective

This study explores: (a) student ability to transfer from a block-based programming language into another block-based programming language; (b) student ability to transfer from a block-based programming language to a text-based programming language; (d) student ability to transfer their learning within the same programming language; and (d) the difficulties students had to transfer in these contexts.

Method

A group of students participating in a program called Coding For Kids explained three different programs in different programming languages during an interview protocol. The students used the programming language MakeCode, and worked on transfer activities in Scratch and Python.

Findings

The results suggest that while most students are able to transfer between block-based programming languages, most of them struggle to explain a program in a text-based programming language, and to solve a new coding challenge.

Implications

Instructional designers should consider different strategies to facilitate student transfer into professional programming languages, which is particularly difficult for non-English speakers.

KEYWORDS:

• Computational thinking
• blocks
• scratch
• MakeCode
• python
• transfer
• programming language
• education
• Colombia

Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the Ministerio de TIC (Colombia), Computadores para Educar, and the British Council under the program Coding for Kids. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the supporting agencies. We also thank all the mentors from the Coding for Kids program for conducting the interviews with guidance from the research team.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministerio TIC de Colombia [1]; British Council Colombia [3]; Computadores para Educar [2].