Activating “black boxes” instead of opening “zipper” - a method of teaching novices basic CS concepts

Abstract

In this paper we implement and evaluate of a unique instructional method for teaching basic concepts in computer science. This method is based on introducing a new concept through activating "black boxes" that demonstrate the properties of the concept and its role in the computing process. We used the "black box"-based instructional method to teach basic concepts of computation to novice high-school students. Later we conducted research aimed at assessing the effectiveness of this method on novice students' perceptions of basic concepts in computation. Research results indicated that students who learned according to the "black box"-based approach gained a better understanding of the basic computational model, compared to students who learned according to the traditional "zipper" approach.