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Published Articles >> Table of Contents >> Abstract
IEEE 2001 Symposium on Human Centric Computing Languages and Environments (HCC'01)
p. 135
Kara, finite state machines, and the case for programming as part of general education
W. Hartmann, ETH Zürich
J. Nievergelt, ETH Zürich
R. Reichert, ETH Zürich
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DOI Bookmark: http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/HCC.2001.995251
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| Abstract |
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As a major evolutionary step in computer technology,
users have come to rely on ready-made application
software, rather than writing their own programs. If
computer users no longer program, does it follow that the
art of programming should only be taught to computing
professionals? We argue the case for programming as a
component of general education. Not because of any
direct utilitarian benefit, but in order to gain a personal
experience as to what it means, and what it takes, to
specify processes that evolve over time. An analogy to
mathematics education shows that schools teach the
concept of ,,proof", although in daily life people use
mathematical formulas without knowledge of their proof.
Programming practiced as an educational exercise,
free from utilitarian constraints, is best learned in a toy
environment, designed to illustrate selected concepts in
the simplest possible setting. As an example, we present
the programming system Kara based on the concept of
finite state machines.
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 Additional Information
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Citation:
W. Hartmann, J. Nievergelt, R. Reichert,
"Kara, finite state machines, and the case for programming as part of general education,"
hcc,
p. 135,
IEEE 2001 Symposium on Human Centric Computing Languages and Environments (HCC'01),
2001
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