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Visual representations for recursive algorithms

Published: 27 February 2002 Publication History

Abstract

We have developed a framework for pedagogically-oriented animations, designed to help students learn new algorithms. Recursive sorting and searching algorithms pose a particular challenge, as it can be difficult to find visual representations that help students develop a mental model of how the recursion proceeds. Relatively complex representations, such as thumbnail sketches or explicitly showing the function stack along with the data structure are appropriate for some algorithms, while simpler representations suffice for others. We have found it useful to classify recursive algorithms according to the way they navigate through a data structure and manipulate data items within it, sometimes with further subdivision according to the kind of recursion. Within each category there are common strategies for visual representation. While there may be no single, general way to represent recursive algorithms, classification is a useful guide to picking an appropriate strategy when animating recursive algorithms.

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Published In

cover image ACM Conferences
SIGCSE '02: Proceedings of the 33rd SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education
February 2002
471 pages
ISBN:1581134738
DOI:10.1145/563340
  • cover image ACM SIGCSE Bulletin
    ACM SIGCSE Bulletin  Volume 34, Issue 1
    Inroads: paving the way towards excellence in computing education
    March 2002
    417 pages
    ISSN:0097-8418
    DOI:10.1145/563517
    Issue’s Table of Contents
Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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Published: 27 February 2002

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SIGCSE02: The 33rd Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education
February 27 - March 3, 2002
Kentucky, Cincinnati

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SIGCSE '02 Paper Acceptance Rate 73 of 234 submissions, 31%;
Overall Acceptance Rate 1,595 of 4,542 submissions, 35%

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Cited By

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  • (2024)Recursion in Secondary Computer Science Education: A Comparative Study of Visual Programming ApproachesProceedings of the 55th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3626252.3630916(1321-1327)Online publication date: 7-Mar-2024
  • (2024)Hearing Iterative and Recursive BehaviorProceedings of the 55th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3626252.3630866(4-10)Online publication date: 7-Mar-2024
  • (2023)Approaches and Tools for Experiential Learning of Abstract ConceptsFostering Pedagogy Through Micro and Adaptive Learning in Higher Education10.4018/978-1-6684-8656-6.ch006(111-140)Online publication date: 30-Jun-2023
  • (2018)RecurTutorACM Transactions on Computing Education10.1145/321832819:1(1-25)Online publication date: 19-Nov-2018
  • (2017)Recursions and how to teach them2017 40th International Convention on Information and Communication Technology, Electronics and Microelectronics (MIPRO)10.23919/MIPRO.2017.7973520(740-745)Online publication date: May-2017
  • (2014)An Analysis of Printed Illustrations of Three Algorithm Design TechniquesIEEE Revista Iberoamericana de Tecnologias del Aprendizaje10.1109/RITA.2014.23175309:2(57-63)Online publication date: May-2014
  • (2013)First year students' understanding of the flow of control in recursive algorithmsAfrican Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education10.1080/10288457.2012.1074075016:3(348-362)Online publication date: 20-Aug-2013
  • (2013)Using Textbook Illustrations to Extract Design Principles for Algorithm VisualizationsHandbook of Human Centric Visualization10.1007/978-1-4614-7485-2_9(227-249)Online publication date: 25-Jun-2013
  • (2012)Interactive Learning of RecursionEducational Stages and Interactive Learning10.4018/978-1-4666-0137-6.ch015(254-272)Online publication date: 2012
  • (2012)InfoVis Interaction Techniques in Animation of Recursive ProgramsComputer Technology and Computer Programming10.1201/b13124-12(231-249)Online publication date: 17-Oct-2012
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