@inproceedings{b00eb0e47a1c4c8e9ff2e07402bafdfe,
title = "Shelves: A user-defined block management tool for visual programming languages",
abstract = "Block editors such as the one used in Scratch are now found in many visual programming languages (VPLs). While considered user-friendly for non-programmers or program learners, they have at least three important display limitations: readability, program structure, and re-use. To address these issues we have developed block shelves, a formatting and organizing tool in support of user-defined VPL structures. Usability experiment results indicate that block shelves can significantly enhance block code navigation and searches, as well as project structure clarification. In the interest of improving project collaboration and code re-use, users can utilize the extensible markup language file format to export/import shelves, and thereby share block codes between projects. Features designed for shelves and the experiment findings are value for course design in project-based learning and future block editor interface improvements.",
keywords = "Code usability, Computer education, Human-computer interaction, Project-based learning, Visual programming languages",
author = "Hsu, {Sheng Yi} and Lou, {Yuan Fu} and Jung, {Shing Yun} and Chuen-Tsai Sun",
year = "2017",
month = jan,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1007/978-3-319-67687-6_22",
language = "English",
isbn = "9783319676869",
series = "Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)",
publisher = "Springer Verlag",
pages = "335--344",
editor = "Regina Bernhaupt and Marco Winckler and Girish Dalvi and Anirudha Joshi and Balkrishan, {Devanuj K.} and Jacki O'Neill",
booktitle = "Human-Computer Interaction - INTERACT 2017 - 16th IFIP TC 13 International Conference, Proceedings",
note = "null ; Conference date: 25-09-2017 Through 29-09-2017",
}