Non-Programming Activities for Engagement with Foundational Concepts in Introductory Programming

Programming in a text-based or visual language is a complex activity that novices find difficult to learn. In this paper, we present an experience report on how novel activities designed for early conceptual exploration can support middle school students' engagement with and learning of foundational programming concepts beginning programmers often struggle with, specifically, variables, expressions (Boolean, arithmetic, relational), loops, and abstraction. We drew on mathematics education research on dynamic representations to design and develop a set of four non-programming, (open access) web-based, interactive activities and micro-worlds and two unplugged activities as part of a suite of activities that can be embedded in a typical introductory programming curriculum to introduce learners to the target concepts before they encounter them in programming. This report describes the activities as well as our experience with their use as part of an introductory computer science course in three diverse, urban, middle school classrooms in the US.