An Effective Web-based Software Visualization Learning Environment

doi:10.1006/jvlc.1998.0097

Journal of Visual Languages & Computing

Volume 9, Issue 5, October 1998, Pages 485-508

https://doi.org/10.1006/jvlc.1998.0097 Get rights and content

Abstract

This paper describes the design, implementation and use of an effective web-based software visualization environment for use within a computer science curriculum. Initial design issues focused on providing an environment tightly integrated with other learning resources and carefully considered the needs of the target population. The first example system built in the Internet Software Visualization Laboratory is currently being used on a Master's level programming course, though the generic architecture is able to present a range of visualizations for a number of languages. Our work has led us to devise 11 design principles for effective web-based software visualization which cover teaching requirements, sustainability, ease of use and remoteness.

References (0)

Cited by (9)

A Java-based system for building animated presentations over the Web
2004, Science of Computer Programming
We describe Leonardo Web, a collection of tools for building animated presentations that can be useful for teaching, disseminating, and e-learning. Presentations can be created via the combined use of a visual editor and a Java library. The library allows it to generate animations in a batch fashion directly from Java code according to an imperative specification style. Batch-generated animations can then be refined and customized using the editor. Presentations can be finally viewed with a simple Java player, which ships both as a stand-alone application for off-line deployment and as a Java applet embedded in a Web page. The player supports step-by-step and continuous execution, reversibility, speed selection, and smooth animation.
Designing educationally effective algorithm visualizations
2002, Journal of Visual Languages and Computing
Despite the intuitively compelling adage ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’, a attempts over the past decade to use animations to explain algorithms to students have produced disappointing results. In most cases, interesting algorithm animations were designed, but no formal, systematic evaluations were conducted. When such evaluations were performed the results were mixed, with compelling evidence for the instructional superiority of algorithm animations failing to emerge. It is in this context that we embarked on a research program to develop educationally effective algorithm visualizations. This program was based on the premise that animations needed to be embedded in a knowledge and context providing hypermedia environment in order to effectively harness their power to enhance learning. This paper describes the architecture of the resulting Hypermedia Algorithm Visualization system (HalVis). Four empirical studies with HalVis are described, which demonstrated that the extent of learning exhibited by students who used HalVis was significantly greater than that of students who used means of traditional instruction or a typical algorithm animation.
Creating web-based animation in STEM education
2012, IMSCI 2012 - 6th International Multi-Conference on Society, Cybernetics and Informatics, Proceedings
Improving lower-performing Hong Kong students in learning computer programming: A grounded theory study
2010, International Journal of Learning
Visual editing of animated algorithms: The leonardo web builder
2006, Proceedings of the Workshop on Advanced Visual Interfaces
Software visualization and education
2002, Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)

View all citing articles on Scopus

^f1: {j.b.dominguelp.mulholland,}@open.ac.uk

View full text

Regular ArticleAn Effective Web-based Software Visualization Learning Environment

Abstract

Regular Article
An Effective Web-based Software Visualization Learning Environment