Supporting End-to-End Coding and Use of Arduinos in a Formal Classroom Environment

• Published in: 2023 IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages and Human-Centric Computing (VL/HCC) pp. 184 - 188
• Main Authors: Magda, David, Gardner-McCune, Christina, Kulkarni, Abhishek, Jimenez, Yerika, Chu, Sharon
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 03.10.2023
• Subjects: Arduino; block-based programming; computational thinking; Computer languages; design; Encoding; K-12 Education; Learning management systems; physical computing; Programming profession; Sparks; Visualization
• ISSN: 1943-6106
• DOI: 10.1109/VL-HCC57772.2023.00030

This paper presents the design of a browser-based Arduino programming tool and learning management system (LMS), CASMM, that offers end-to-end support for learners utilizing Chromebooks in a classroom environment. This tool aims to support learners through the entire process of coding and using Arduinos in group projects at scale in formal classrooms. The novelty of this tool and its discussion for the VL/HCC community lies in the design and customization of this tool to meet real world constraints of formal classrooms. In addition, it encourages expansion of who we consider users and requires inclusion of where and how learning takes place to truly support human-centered development of programming tools. In this paper, we shift the focus from individual users to multiple groups of student users and 1-3 teachers/mentors in a classroom environment. In particular, this paper aims to make explicit the unique needs of teachers and students who may have limited technology expertise both in coding and using Arduinos in formal classroom environments, the human and technological constraints of a formal classroom and features we've designed into CASMM to address these needs. Through this paper, we aim to spark discussion about the human-centered requirements of these users and how tools that support learners end-to-end in the development process may be necessary to truly provide accessible programming languages and environments for a wide range of novices (i.e., students, classroom teachers, and college mentors/volunteers).