Codrawings and Toy Variables
Programmer-Computer Theater
Programmer-Computer Theater is a base concept for understanding two educational resources we present here: codrawings and toy variables.
Programming consists of writing a text (program) with a sequence of calculation instructions that a computer will read and execute, which is nothing more and nothing less than a programmable calculating machine. The Programmer- Computer Theater departs from the notion that in the act of programming, the programmer experiences a kind of monologue in which she/he plays at least three roles:
the programmer's role: write the text (program) to be read and executed;
the computer's role: read and executes the written text; • the user role: in the case of interactive programs, the person who uses
the program.
The Programmer-Computer Theater is a form of the programming learning method and physical Open Educational Resource in which this monologue of the programmer is experienced as a play for at least two people. One person plays the role of “the programmer”, and another performs “the computer” role.
Human Cartesian Plane is to draw a considerable size but meagre resolution “computer screen” on the floor using adhesive tape, forming a grid with “pixels” large enough for a person to fit inside it. On the Xh axis, a queue of participants is positioned, and on the Yh axis, another queue. People are holding numbers corresponding to the coordinates of their position. When a person is positioned inside the “screen”, the person in correspondent coordinates rises the number indicating the coordinates of that person (pixel). With this scene prepared, we do exercises that simulate drawing functions of Processing – an easy-to-learn programming language – as point(), line() and ellipse().
In this case, thinking in terms of a Programmer-Computer Theater, the programmer writes the code on a portable whiteboard, and the computer performs the drawing using its own body by positioning itself in the Cartesian Plane to form the correct image in pixels. In this case, the computer is played by several people since many persons are required to make particular drawings that are not only a dot (each person = one “rendered” pixel).
Codrawings = Code + Drawings
Codrawings are texts in any programming language (C, Java, C++, Python etc.) with drawings between codes. Its main objective is to facilitate the learning of programming languages' native words using a more funny and entertaining approach.
In the Codrawings method, the Programmer-Computer Theater may happen as follows:
The programmer (person playing the role of the one who programs) codraws, i.e. write a code using drawings and delivers it to the computer (person who is playing the computer role);
The computer tries to read the drawing and says what has been understood. She/he may ask the programmer about the meaning of a specific symbol or drawing he doesn’t understand;
The programmer could comment on the computer's interpretation and clarify the meaning of that codrawing if the code were to be read by a “real” electronic computer.
Toy Variables
Variables are one of the most fundamental concepts of programming. They are symbols representing a computer memory space, which the program uses to store a piece of data temporarily. This small chunk of memory would be the equivalent of a piece of paper where we take note of a phone number to remember it later; we use it to read the number, and soon after, it is “discarded”.
Because it requires a great power of abstraction and imagination, variables are complicated to understand immediately. Maybe we can reduce this difficulty by approaching the concept of variables to a more physical, palpable, tangible reality. That's where the Toy Variable becomes helpful.
Toy Variables are physical handmade DIY objects built with ordinary materials of everyday life, such as egg cartons, beans, zip-locks, rulers, and electric light switches:
To learn more about this unique OER, read the article.
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