Robo-Blocks: A Tangible Programming System with Debugging for Children

Abstract

This paper presents a tangible programming syst em called Robo -Blocks. The system consists of electronic command bloc ks that can be connected together to form a program that controls the movement of a floor robot. The basis of the design is to make programming accessible to young children. Robo -Blocks a dds the ability to debug a tangible program by allowing children to step through each instruction and observe the resulting action. We present case studies that demonstrate how the step -by-step operation can help children to better analyze and debug the ro bot’s action when the outcome is different from their expectations.