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124 11 MULTIDIMENSIONAL EXPANSION OF THE ALGORYTHMICS...
Figure 11.5. The redesigned AlgoRythmics web application
11.2.1 Learning steps
Video: The algorithms are represented visually by dance choreographies.
These videos can be automatic or interactive. In the first case, the user is able
to visualize the whole algorithm without any interruption, while in the second
case the video is stopped, waiting for the user to answer a question.
Animation: A step from the dance towards the code is the animation, which
is a more abstract level of the algorithm (see Figure 11.6). The animation can be
also automatic or interactive. The interactive animation is paused in some key
moments — predefined by the administrator/teacher —, and it continues to play
if the user provides the operation that should happen next in the flow. These
operations are, for example: selection (when the algorithm iterates and further
elements will be analysed), compare (when two elements must be compared),
and swap (in case two elements have to be swapped). Getting familiar with these
functionalities, the “in control” step will be easy to understand.
In Control: Taking the user experience to a new level, we give control to the
user. Using previously gained knowledge of a selected algorithm, the user has
the possibility to manually conduct the entire algorithm, using the previously
mentioned operations (for example): select, compare, or swap. Like its prede¬
cessor, this module also operates in both white- and black-box modes.
Create Code: This is the learning step when the user is obliged to use their
listening for identifying the loop structure of the selected algorithm (single loop,
consecutive loops, or imbricated loops) based on sound effects. Furthermore,
this is the phase in the learning process when the user finally arrives at the point
where the code must be written (see Figure 11.7).