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A 2D Physics Simulator as a Design Tool for a Children's Programming Environment
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, The University of Auckland, New Zealand ; , University of Central Lancashire, United Kingdom

EdMedia + Innovate Learning, in Honolulu, HI, USA ISBN 978-1-880094-73-0 Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), Waynesville, NC

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Abstract

This paper describes a 2D physics simulator for children used to gather information for a new programming environment for children incorporating a 2D physics component. It was developed to examine how children interact with such a simulator and how easily they could use the simulator to construct different physical objects such as seesaws, cars and bridges. Two different studies were conducted with children playing with the simulator. In the first, groups of children of ages 6-7 and 9-10 briefly worked with the simulator. This showed a few minor problems but also showed that the older children quickly overcame these problems and could construct requested objects without difficulty. The second included a questionnaire asking 10 and 11 year old children what they would make with such a program and what they would like their created objects to do.

Citation

Sheehan, R. & Read, J. (2009). A 2D Physics Simulator as a Design Tool for a Children's Programming Environment. In G. Siemens & C. Fulford (Eds.), Proceedings of ED-MEDIA 2009--World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications (pp. 1647-1652). Honolulu, HI, USA: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved August 19, 2022 from .

© 2009 Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)

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References

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