An educational software assessment tool, VB2ALGO, for a visual programming course has been developed and the eff ects of it on the high school students' performances, motivation and cognitive skills were explored. The tool inherits algorithm visualization technique together with reverse engineering approach; it takes the visual basic source code as an input and generates pseudocode and fl owchart as an output. First, an experimental research methodology was applied, whereby pre-tests and post-tests were conducted to estimate the eff ect of using the software tool on student performances towards learning visual programming course. Then, the eff ect of the tool on students' motivation and cognitive skills were measured with students' questionnaires. Finally, teachers' class management skills were investigated with teachers' questionnaires in terms of time-management for better teaching experiences. The experiment was carried out with 294 students from 4 diff erent high schools which had divided into experimental group and control groups. Parametric statistical tests were applied and results showed that the use of software tool reveals better performances for the experimental group as compared to the control group. In addition, the results of the students' questionnaires confi rmed an increment in students' motivation and cognitive skills in programming language classes as compared to the traditional class. It also results in the improvement of students' learning capacities and knowledge about programming concepts. Finally, results of the teachers' quantitative analysis REVISTA DE CERCETARE SI INTERVENTIE SOCIALA -VOLUMUL 67/2019 REVISTA DE CERCETARE SI INTERVENTIE SOCIALA -VOLUMUL 67/2019 68 outlined that use of the software tool encourages teachers to complete more examples inside the classroom with better time management.