Students Learning Performance and Engagement in a Visual Programming Environment

Abstract

This study employed a quasi-experimental method to explore differences in students’ learning performance and engagement between visual and textual language programming environments. Specifically, this study examined how strongly engagement dimensions affect participants’ learning achievement in a Scratch experimental setting. One hundred and thirty-two undergraduate students participated. The results revealed that participants with Scratch intervention outperformed those with text-based language instructions in terms of performance and behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and agentic engagement. The findings indicated that engagement significantly predicted student academic success in a visual learning environment. This study concluded that visual programming tools such as Scratch help novices engaged and effectively learn core aspects of programming concepts. Additionally, student engagement deepens an understanding of predictions of programmers’ behaviors and achievements and mechanisms behind the effectiveness of visualization intervention.