Making Algorithms Tangible

Assigned Human-Computer Interaction Computer Science Bachelor Master Project Thesis No Affiliation

Background

Making algorithms tangible-what does this involve? Understanding algorithmic flows is a basic requirement for learning programming. However, many beginners have a hard time with algorithmic basics, e.g., what the runtime of algorithms is all about, and what influence programming constructs have on this runtime. We want to simplify the introduction to working with algorithms and thus foster the learning of basic computer science skills.

This topic aims to bring together the initial building blocks for making algorithms tangible from a first-person perspective. For this, an environment is to be created that illustrates the program flow from. Different approaches are to be tried out and empirically compared with each other by means of user tests. Thereupon, the result will be compared with classical learning methods and other computer-based learning applications.

Tasks

The topic will focus on the following tasks:

• Design and creation of a VR environment in Unity
• Comparitive user study between different approaches
• Comparative study between the the new environment to classical learning methods/other computer-based learning applications
• Evaluation and presentation of results

Prerequisites

• Introduction to Programming (Java, C++ or C#), e.g., 10-MCS-EinP
• Introduction to MCS, e.g., 06-MCS-GL-AP
• Interactive Computer Graphics, e.g., 10-MCS-ICGV
• Software Quality, e.g., 10-MCS-SQ and 10-MCS-ST
• Statistics 1 and 2, e.g., 06-PSY-STAT-1 and 06-PSY-STAT-2

Optional

• Game Engine Experience (Unity)

Contact Persons at the University Würzburg