Innovative Approaches to Short-and Long-term Impact Assessment of Programming Education

In this paper we show new tools and methods introduced to teaching of programming for beginners at Kecskemet College. This article presents how our beginners in programming deal with negative effects. To "eliminate" the negative effects, new programming tools can be used as a programmable Surveyor, RCX and NXT robots. We rejected the traditional teaching methods. As a constructive approach the project method was introduced to our classes. After a semester we examined how robots can be used in these altered learning environments. We measured the impact of new teaching and learning processes and learning management methods to our students' programming knowledge and skills. Changes in their attitudes towards the subject and in their programming self-concept as a motive were also examined. The research was continued with the same sample in the following two years, having looked at the long-term benefits derived from the application of new tools and methods. Keywords: Constructive education, Effects of new programming tools, Programmable robots;