Revisiting Analogical Reasoning in Computing Education: Use of Similarities Between Robot Programming Tasks in Debugging

Analogical reasoning is considered to be a critical cognitive skill in programming. However, it has been rarely studied block-based programming context, especially involving both virtual and physical objects. In this multi-case study, we examined how novice learners majoring early childhood education used analogical while debugging block code make robot perform properly. Screen recordings, scaffolding entries, reflections, were analyzed. The cross-case analysis suggested multimodal objects enabled the identify use structural relations. of eased verification process by enabling them test their analogies immediately after analogy application. Noticing similar functional led noticing similarities relation between as well robot, guiding locate bugs. Implications directions for future educational computing research are discussed.