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Novice Programmer = (Sourcecode) (Pseudocode) Algorithm Journal of Computer Science Original Research Paper Novice Programmer = (Sourcecode) (Pseudocode) Algorithm 1Budi Yulianto, 2Harjanto Prabowo, 3Raymond Kosala and 4Manik Hapsara 1Computer Science Department, School of Computer Science, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, Indonesia 11480 2Management Department, BINUS Business School Undergraduate Program, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, Indonesia 11480 3Computer Science Department, Faculty of Computing and Media, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, Indonesia 11480 4Computer Science Department, BINUS Graduate Program - Doctor of Computer Science, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, Indonesia 11480 Article history Abstract: Difficulties in learning programming often hinder new students Received: 7-11-2017 as novice programmers. One of the difficulties is to transform algorithm in Revised: 14-01-2018 mind into syntactical solution (sourcecode). This study proposes an Accepted: 9-04-2018 application to help students in transform their algorithm (logic) into sourcecode. The proposed application can be used to write down students’ Corresponding Author: Budi Yulianto algorithm (logic) as block of pseudocode and then transform it into selected Computer Science Department, programming language sourcecode. Students can learn and modify the School of Computer Science, sourcecode and then try to execute it (learning by doing). Proposed Bina Nusantara University, application can improve 17% score and 14% passing rate of novice Jakarta, Indonesia 11480 programmers (new students) in learning programming. Email: [email protected] Keywords: Algorithm, Pseudocode, Novice Programmer, Programming Language Introduction students in some universities that are new to programming and have not mastered it. In addition, Programming language is a language used by some universities (especially in rural areas or with programmers to write commands (syntax and semantics) limited budget) do not have tools that can help their new that can be understood by a computer to create a students in learning programming (Yulianto et al ., 2016b). program (TechTerms, 2011). The development of today's Previous researches shown that there are several technology has encouraged the public interest to learn educational tools to support students in starting learning programming that becomes the prospect and business programming (Yulianto et al ., 2013). All are operated in opportunity (Microsoft, 2015). Based on Developers offline, online, or both ways (Brandão et al ., 2012). Survey in 2015 (Stack Overflow, 2015), most of them Some popular applications are Scratch, Alice, Blockly study programming languages by self-learning or and Pencil Code (Ebrahimi et al ., 2013; Bau et al ., autodidact (41.8%), bachelor in CS (37.7%), magister in 2015). Scratch can help novice programmers to learn CS (18.4%), work training (36.7%), industry algorithm by using animation or game (Brandão et al ., certification (6.1%), boot camp (3.5%), doctoral in CS 2012; Ebrahimi et al ., 2013). Alice can improve novice (2.2%), mentorship program (1.0%) and others (4.3%). programmers’ motivation in learning programming by Garner research shows that there are 3 obstacles or using 3D concept and its interactivity. Blockly and Pencil et al difficulties in learning programming (Shuhidan ., Code implement block of pseudocode to help novice 2011). First is errors in writing syntax like missing programmers in transforming their algorithm into semicolon and curly bracket. Second is difficulties in pseudocode (Bau et al ., 2015). Block of pseudocode is a understanding and designing a program. Third is concept of presenting pseudocode in a block-based rather difficulties in understanding the basic structure of a than in text-based (Weintrop, 2015). Unfortunately, those program. These three difficulties often hinder new applications don’t generate the pseudocode into sourcecode student as a novice programmer to learn programming to let novice programmers try to modify and learn from it. (Layona et al ., 2017). Pears and Jordine apply game tool named RoboCode Novice programmers need some tools to overcome to help their students in sharpening logic (Pears et al ., those difficulties (Yulianto et al ., 2016a; Yulianto and 2007; Jordine et al ., 2014). RoboCode is a Java and Prabowo, 2017). This also applies to early semester .NET programming game for developing a robot tank to © 2018 Budi Yulianto, Harjanto Prabowo, Raymond Kosala and Manik Hapsara. This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 3.0 license. Budi Yulianto et al . / Journal of Computer Science 2018, 14 (4): 477.484 DOI: 10.3844/jcssp.2018.477.484 battle against other tanks. The robot battles are running in execute the generated sourcecode (learning by doing) real-time and on-screen (http://robowiki.net). Hundhausen (Yulianto et al ., 2017). By this method, students can and Vivian use LightBot to let their students solve a overcome the difficulties in transforming their algorithm puzzle by using programming logic (Hundhausen et al ., into programming language. 2009; Vivian et al ., 2014). Converting a data type to another in a programming Other tools have been applied to help their students, language is called ‘type casting’ and symbolized with such as Jeroo (Pears et al ., 2007), Kodu (Sentance and round brackets ‘()’. That’s why this study is titled “Novice et al Schwiderski-Grosche, 2012), Pencil Code (Vivian ., Programmer = (Sourcecode) (Pseudocode) Algorithm”, 2014), Cargo-Bot and Move the Turtle (Grantham, 2011). which means converting algorithm in mind into pseudocode Jeroo is an effective classroom-tested tool that helps and then into sourcecode for novice programmers. novices learn fundamental concepts of object-oriented programming (www.jeroo.org and Data Collection http://home.cc.gatech.edu/dorn/jeroo). Kodu lets students to create games on PC and Xbox via a simple visual Software development method used in this study is programming language (https://www.kodugamelab.com). Rational Unified Process (RUP). This study is not Pencil Code is used for learning professional programming focusing in RUP discussion since it’s a common languages by using an editor that lets students work in method and easily to be learned. Data collection is blocks (https://pencilcode.net/). Cargo-Bot is a puzzle game gathered by distributing questionnaire to 129 students. to teach a robot how to move crates Questionnaire results will be a foundation in (https://twolivesleft.com/CargoBot/). Move the Turtle developing the purposed application. Based on the teaches students the basics of programming results, most respondents learn C or C++ in early (http://movetheturtle.com/). Unfortunately, those tools don’t semester (Table 1). After early semester, most provide a feature of conversion to programming language respondents learn PHP, PL/SQL, HTML/JavaScript, source code to lets students modify and execute it in real Java, or C# in next semesters. Most respondents environment (learning by doing). recommend C, C++ and Java as first programming Based on that problems, this study proposes an languages to be learned by new students (Fig. 1). This approach by using application for new students to convert application provides C, C++ and Java to be selected their algorithm in mind into block of pseudocode, then by students when converting pseudocode into a generate it into a selected programming language programming language. Students can select which (sourcecode). After that, students can try to modify and programming language to be used. Assembly 4(3.1%) C 95(73.6%) C++ 44 (34.1%) C# 24 (18.6%) Delphi/Pascal 3 (2.3%) Go 0 (0%) Groovy 0 (0%) HTML/JavaScript 28 (21.7%) Java 34 (26.4%) Matlab 2 (1.6%) Objective-C 1 (0.8%) Perl 0 (0%) PHP 12 (9.3%) PL/SQL 12 (9.3%) Python 24 (18.6%) R 0 (0%) Ruby 0 (0%) Swift 1 (0.8%) VB 2 (1.6%) VB .NET 2 (1.6%) Other 0 (0%) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Fig. 1: First programming languages recommendation 478 Budi Yulianto et al . / Journal of Computer Science 2018, 14 (4): 477.484 DOI: 10.3844/jcssp.2018.477.484 Table 1: Programming language learned in early and next Table 4: Chapter number of topic in text book semester Topics 1 2 3 4 5 X Prog. Lang. 1 2 3 4 5 Input/Output 2 2 3 2 2 2.2 C 50 64 2 11 2 Variable 2 2 3 2 2 2.2 C++ 45 38 9 34 3 Assignment 2 2 3 2 2 2.2 C# 32 5 41 29 22 Data type 3 2 4 3 2 2.8 Delphi / Pascal 7 15 6 11 90 In.& decrement 4 3 5 4 2 3.6 HTML / JavaScript 29 8 65 16 11 Logical operator 4 3 5 4 2 3.6 Java 27 16 42 35 9 Selection 4 3 5 4 4 4.0 PHP 12 4 80 8 25 Repetition 5 4 6 5 4 4.8 PL/SQL 14 7 78 12 18 Function 6 5 7 6 6 6.0 Python 9 15 23 18 64 Array 7 6 7 7 3 6.0 VB 11 11 17 18 72 Pointer 8 7 - - - 7.5 VB.NET 5 6 29 12 77 1 Learn in the early semester and continue 2 Some features that are needed by novice Learn in the early semester but not continue 3 programmers to help them in learning programming are Learn in next semester (after first programming language) also listed on Table 3. Topics are sorted based on and continue 4 Learn in next semester (after first programming language) chapters in text books (Table 4). Basic topics (top 5 from and not continue average, symbolized with ‘X’) will be converted as 5 Never learn application features in creating block of pseudocode. This average method is used to rank which ones to be Table 2: Common mistakes in writing sourcecode basic topics based on smaller score. Mistake 1 2 3 4 Statement operator 62 13 54 0 Proposed System e.g., { } ( ) [ ] ; . Assignment and arithmetic operator 57 8 64 0 System is proposed as a web-based application.
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