Educational Robotics in Algorithm Concretization

Algorithm concretization with robots combines hands-on robotics and traditional algorithm visualization techniques to assist diverse learners to understand the basic idea of a given algorithm. In this way, we bring algorithms into the real physical world where students can touch the data structures during the execution. We present a proof-of-concept implementation with a few sorting algorithms. Moreover, we have carried out an evaluation with 13-to-15-year old children who used the concretization to comprehend an algorithm. The results indicate that algorithm concretization can enhance their learning process. Our implementation experience and the analysis of the experiment give new directions to the further development for both the educational robotics and the learning environment. Our aim is to build a new learning environment that helps students to understand algorithms and to acquire programming skills through concretization with robotics.