End-user programming

Draft

Definition

• “Not all programs are written by professional computer programmers. "End users" with the right tools automate laboratories and corporate data access, model fusion reactors and animate Web pages.” [End user programming] “covers the tools, techniques, and theory of people who exploit computer automation for their purposes without becoming professional programmers” (End-User Programming, retrieved 13:16, 5 September 2006 (MEST))

• “There has been considerable work in empowering end users to be able to write their own programs, and as a result, users are indeed doing so. In fact, the number of end-user programmers in the United States is expected to reach 55 million by 2005, as compared to only 2.75 million professional programmers. The "programming" systems used by these end users include spreadsheet systems, web authoring tools, and graphical languages for demonstrating the desired behavior of educational simulations. Using such systems, end users create software, in forms such as educational simulations,” (About EUSES, retrieved 13:16, 5 September 2006 (MEST)). spreadsheets, and dynamic e-business web applications.

Methods and examples

Application-specific Languages

• E.g. scripting languages like JavaScript used to build interactive web pages

Programming by Example PBE

• Also known as Programming By Demonstration PBD)
• a technique for teaching the computer new behavior by demonstrating actions on concrete examples. The system records user actions and generalizes a program that can be used in new examples)
• E.g. keyboard macros in an editor

Visual Programming

• This includes a lot of Multimedia authoring systems.
• E.g. Authorware

Natural Programming

• general principles, methods, and programming language and environment designs that will significantly reduce the amount of learning and effort needed to write programs for people who are not professional programmers.
• E.g. programming microworlds

End-user programming in educational technology

Types

In education, there are basically three kinds of technologies:

1. Standard wide-spread end-user tools (.e.g all sorts of scripting languages for the Internet, Macro-languages for professional tools.
2. Authoring kits/languages for educational software (in particular interactive multimedia)
3. Special-purpose toolkits to build highly advanced educational software: “The demand for educational software is growing exponentially with the surge of interest in educational reform, the Internet, and distance learning. Educational applications must be very flexible because curricula and teaching styles vary tremendously among institutions, locations, and even among instructors at the same institution. To meet these needs, a wide array of small-scale, casual developers at universities, research labs, and small businesses develop educational software, and no dominant solution or supplier has emerged.” (Roschelle et al., 1999).

Example categories

Interactive web pages authoring environments

• E.g. Tools like Dreamweaver
• E.g. Scripting languages like JavaScript
• E.g. Tools to build quizzes like HotPotatoes and that will generate JavaScript.

Interactive multimedia toolkits

• See Multimedia authoring systems

Some of these can be run over the Internet (e.g. through special plugins).

Toolkits for building or adapting microworlds and simulations.

Often they are based on some kind of components that authors and teacher authors then can combine and adapt to their needs. E.g. systems like:

• AgentSheets
• E-Slate

Some of these can be run over the Internet (e.g. they compile in Javacode)

Microworlds to learn programming

• See programming microworlds

Server-side scripting languages

• E.g. PhP, ASP

Links

• End-User Programming Home Page
• EUD-NET Network of Excellence, a EU project started in 2002 to prepare a research agenda in the end-user development field for the next framework.
• Natural Programming,
• An End-User Programming bibliographic database by Catherine Letondal
• EUSES Consortium is a collaboration by researchers at Oregon State University, Carnegie Mellon University, Drexel University, Penn State University, University of Nebraska, Cambridge University, and IBM whose goal is to develop and investigate end-user software engineering technologies for enabling End Users to Shape Effective Software. (Includes good resources)
• Interface Software Tools (last update 1997)

References

• J. Roschelle, M. Koutlis, A. Repenning, et al, 1999: "Developing Educational Software Components", IEEE Computer, September 1999 Special Issue on Web based

learning and collaboration pp 2-10. PDF