Comparison of block based programming tools in terms of students' achievements, attitides, and level of anxiety

In recent years, it is highlighted that almost everyone should learn programming. The main reason for this is the idea that the skills such as problem solving and creativity, desired to be developed in the 21st century, can be developed by programming. Block Based Programming (BBP) is becoming much more functional, especially in terms of eliminating the traditional perceptions about the difficulty of programming. Furthermore, BBP is offered through different teaching methods and enables individuals to have more options. In this study, the effects of a variety of BBP tools on students' success in programming, their attitudes towards programming and their concerns about programming were examined. For this purpose, the study was carried out with 43 students, studying at the Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology at Amasya University, in the fall semester of 2017-2018 academic year. They were in their second year of the study and taking Programming-I course. The control group consisted of 10 female and 11 male students. The experimental group consisted of 10 female and 12 male students. In the study, employing quantitative research method, pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design with control group was used. The pre-tests on Algorithm achievement, attitudes towards programming and anxiety against programming were applied to the participants before the implementation. The control group got training by means of Scratch BBP tool and the experimental group received training with the HackerCan BBP tool for four weeks. At the end of the training, the post-tests on algorithm achievement, attitude towards programming and anxiety towards programming were carried out with both groups. According to the analysis results, there was no significant difference between the algorithm achievement post-test scores of the control group and the experimental group, although the control group had higher scores than the experimental group. At the end of the training, it was found out that there was a decrease in students' level of anxiety. However, although there was a significant decrease in the level of anxiety of the experimental group against programming, the decrease in the level of anxiety of the control group was not significant. When the analysis results of attitudes towards programming post-test were examined, it was found out that the students' attitudes changed positively after receiving the programming education, but there was no significant difference between the control and experimental groups in this respect. These results shed a light on the fact that tools designed on the basis of both methods in BBP education increased students' achievement, positively affected students' attitudes and reduced students' level of anxiety.