Ar-Based Learning Resource: A Different Way to Learn Data-Structures

Abstract

Considering the difficulties in the teaching/learning process of computer programming, the development of skills related to Computational Thinking (CT) to prepare people to better solve problems stands out. Augmented Reality (AR) allows for the insertion and interaction with virtual information in the real world. AR is becoming ordinary to humanity, including the design of new teaching/learning strategies that enable the creation of metaphors with virtual information. In this way, it can be said that AR provides a framework for the creation of analogies of complex concepts facilitating their comprehension. This article describes an interactive way of understanding computer instructions (a program) to manipulate data structures (lists, stacks, and queues). The objective of this study is to use Augmented Reality to visualize high-level program statements through a mobile animation system. User instructions are animated in real-time creating virtual 3D representations to help understand operations that handle abstract data-structures used in classic programming. This approach contributes substantially to the construction of educational resources aimed at supporting novice programmers that face critical difficulties to learn adequately Computer Programming. The work described here shows that with effective AR-based Learning Resources, it is possible to train skills such as analyzing, representing information, planning strategies, and systematizing resolution schemes, that are crucial to solve problems.