An Inquisitive Code Editor for Addressing Novice Programmers' Misconceptions of Program Behavior

Abstract

Novice programmers face numerous barriers while attempting to learn how to code that may deter them from pursuing a computer science degree or career in software development. In this work, we propose a tool concept to address the particularly challenging barrier of novice programmers holding misconceptions about how their code behaves. Specifically, the concept involves an inquisitive code editor that: (1) identifies misconceptions by periodically prompting the novice programmer with questions about their program's behavior, (2) corrects the misconceptions by generating explanations based on the program's actual behavior, and (3) prevents further misconceptions by inserting test code and utilizing other educational resources. We have implemented portions of the concept as plugins for the Atom code editor and conducted informal surveys with students and instructors. Next steps include deploying the tool prototype to students enrolled in introductory programming courses.

Jask

“…Henley et al propose the notion of an "inquisitive editor" that proactively asks pop-up questions about code when a misconception is detected [4]. This approach is still in a concept development stage with no working prototype.…”

“…Whereas the current QLC types aim at checking if a learner understands the code, we envision another kind of QLC designed for addressing specific misconceptions. For instance, when spotting certain "anomalies" in the code structure or behavior, a QLC could drive the student to reflect on that aspect and possibly cause a student misconception to emerge when giving an incorrect answer (in a similar fashion as in [4]). In this way, a system like ours would not only promote deeper understanding, but could also spot for "silent" knowledge gaps that otherwise could remain unrevealed for longer periods.…”