DIDADTIC TOOLS FOR THE STUDENTS’ ALGORITHMIC THINKING DEVELOPMENT

Introduction. Modern engineers must possess high potential of cognitive abilities, in particular, the algorithmic thinking (AT). In this regard, the training of future experts (university graduates) of technical specialities has to provide the knowledge of principles and ways of designing of various algorithms, abilities to analyze them, and to choose the most optimal variants for engineering activity implementation. For full formation of AT skills it is necessary to consider all channels of psychological perception and cogitative processing of educational information: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.

The aim of the present research is theoretical basis of design, development and use of resources for successful development of AT during the educational process of training in programming.

Methodology and research methods. Methodology of the research involves the basic thesis of cognitive psychology and information approach while organizing the educational process. The research used methods: analysis; modeling of cognitive processes; designing training tools that take into account the mentality and peculiarities of information perception; diagnostic efficiency of the didactic tools. Results. The three-level model for future engineers training in programming aimed at development of AT skills was developed. The model includes three components: aesthetic, simulative, and conceptual. Stages to mastering a new discipline are allocated. It is proved that for development of AT skills when training in programming it is necessary to use kinesthetic tools at the stage of mental algorithmic maps formation; algorithmic animation and algorithmic mental maps at the stage of algorithmic model and conceptual images formation. Kinesthetic tools for development of students’ AT skills when training in algorithmization and programming are designed. Using of kinesthetic training simulators in educational process provide the effective development of algorithmic style of thinking and increase the level of understanding and learning of educational material on algorithms and programming.

Scientific novelty. The developed tools and methods for developing algorithmic style of thinking during the educational process of training in programming is fundamentally different from existing ones that are aimed at kinesthetic channels of perception and activation of motor-memory area. According to the latest statistics, over 40% of people have kinesthetic sensing of the world; however, researchers have not treated this phenomenon in much detail. On the whole, the use efficiency of the didactic means when training graduates of engineering specialties has been proved in the course of the carried out experiment on kinesthetic tools introduction into educational process with the subsequent diagnostics of the levels of AT skills development, and the quality of training in programming among the students of theSiberianFederalUniversity.

Practical significance. The proposed tools and methods for developing algorithmic thinking can be used in the training process in the school course of computer science, as well as university courses of programming of various kinds. The presented kinesthetic tools can be used for other technical and natural-science specialities (e.g. Mathematics) after applying specific content adaptation.

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