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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 predecessor, 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).
