Light Bot - Programming Game

[Dan]

I recently have come across a flash based game called Light Bot witch i thought would be amazing for introducing students to programming:

http://www.gameroo.nl/games/light-bot

The game works much like lego mind storms where you place some boxes witch represent the basic commands the robot can do in order and try to get him to light up the blue squares. The game also has functions witch the user can make and add to the program to guide the light bot around area.

I thought this would be a great tool for grade 10 computer science high school teachers as a way to introduce the very basics of programming to students in a fun way.

[Saad]

The game itself I found was not so great. It's a good idea but just a poor implementation. No support for conditionals or recursion. I still prefer Robocode

As for the introduction, I'll have to disagree with you there, I think its too basic for a grade 10 or any introduction computer science course.

[Clayton]

What about younger children? Not everything needs to be aimed at high school students you know.

[Dan]

Saad @ 20th September 2008, 5:43 pm wrote:

As for the introduction, I'll have to disagree with you there, I think its too basic for a grade 10 or any introduction computer science course.

I don't mean as a hole course but maybe the first day or two, you have to remember that people are coming in with 0 programming knowable at all in grade 10. In fact some may not even know what programming is. We don't want to scare students away with learning any syntax and how to use the IDE all on the first few days.

I think one of the big things it does is reinforce the idea that less commands are batter if you get to the same point and the logic is more important then the syntax.

Also the last levels are chalarging enought to keep the more advanced students ocpied well the new comeres to programming get the basic idea of linear programming.

Quote:

The game itself I found was not so great. It's a good idea but just a poor implementation. No support for conditionals or recursion. I still prefer Robocode

I don't think the point of the game is to implement a full language with conditionals, etc and it does have a simple recursion (tho never ending) that is needed for some of the higher levels. The idea is to teach and introduce linear programming and then move on to things like conditionals and loops and not for them to need to type anything at all.

Also i don't see this as a replcament for robocode type things but as an excersie to do for a day or two befor geting in to it.

Quote:

What about younger children? Not everything needs to be aimed at high school students you know.

It would work well with any one who has never programed before but some of the higher levels might get a bit tricky for young children.

[Saad]

Dan @ Sat Sep 20, 2008 6:22 pm wrote:

Saad @ 20th September 2008, 5:43 pm wrote:

As for the introduction, I'll have to disagree with you there, I think its too basic for a grade 10 or any introduction computer science course.

I don't mean as a hole course but maybe the first day or two, you have to remember that people are coming in with 0 programming knowable at all in grade 10. In fact some may not even know what programming is. We don't want to scare students away with learning any syntax and how to use the IDE all on the first few days.

I think one of the big things it does is reinforce the idea that less commands are batter if you get to the same point and the logic is more important then the syntax.

Also the last levels are chalarging enought to keep the more advanced students ocpied well the new comeres to programming get the basic idea of linear programming.

I see what you mean. I thought as if you meant use this as a more in-depth intro into computer science. I agree that it would make a great one, two day introduction as it would make the course seem fun.

Quote:

Quote:

The game itself I found was not so great. It's a good idea but just a poor implementation. No support for conditionals or recursion. I still prefer Robocode

I don't think the point of the game is to implement a full language with conditionals, etc and it does have a simple recursion (tho never ending) that is needed for some of the higher levels. The idea is to teach and introduce linear programming and then move on to things like conditionals and loops and not for them to need to type anything at all.

Also i don't see this as a replcament for robocode type things but as an excersie to do for a day or two befor geting in to it.

I was talking more about just the game in general and not about it being an introduction to computer science. As for the replacement, the first thought that came into my mind was robocode so I thought of it as a clone.

Quote:

Quote:

What about younger children? Not everything needs to be aimed at high school students you know.

I'll agree with you there. Its fun for younger children but I guess it'd be lots more fun if it had more cooler features.
It would work well with any one who has never programed before but some of the higher levels might get a bit tricky for young children.[/quote]

[Dan]

@saad, i will have to look in to robocode more. I had somthing like it in grade 12 but it looks more intresting.