Abstract
A significant amount of recent research in Computer Science Education has focused on studying block-based programming. In this approach, computer programs are created by connecting blocks and the blocks' shapes determine the permitted connections. The focus is on the program's logic instead of its syntax. This paper introduces DBSnap, a web-based application to build database queries, particularly relational algebra queries, by snapping blocks. DBSnap fully supports the construction of intuitive database query trees, which is one of the most effective approaches to teach database queries. DBSnap is also highly dynamic and shows the query results as the query is being built. The user can also inspect, at any time, the intermediate results of any query node. This paper presents DBSnap's design and implementation details, an evaluation of its effectiveness as a learning environment, and a thorough comparison with alternative ways to teach query languages. DBSnap is publicly available and aims to have the same transformational effect on database learning as previous block-based systems had on traditional programming learning.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | SIGCSE 2015 - Proceedings of the 46th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education |
| Publisher | Association for Computing Machinery, Inc |
| Pages | 179-184 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781450329668 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 24 2015 |
| Event | 46th SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, SIGCSE 2015 - Kansas City, United States Duration: Mar 4 2015 → Mar 7 2015 |
Other
| Other | 46th SIGCSE Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, SIGCSE 2015 |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| City | Kansas City |
| Period | 3/4/15 → 3/7/15 |
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Keywords
- Databases curricula
- Query languages
- Relational algebra
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Education
- Computer Science (miscellaneous)
Cite this
DBSnap : Learning database queries by snapping blocks. / Silva, Yasin; Chon, Jaime.
SIGCSE 2015 - Proceedings of the 46th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education. Association for Computing Machinery, Inc, 2015. p. 179-184.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
}
TY - GEN
T1 - DBSnap
T2 - Learning database queries by snapping blocks
AU - Silva, Yasin
AU - Chon, Jaime
PY - 2015/2/24
Y1 - 2015/2/24
N2 - A significant amount of recent research in Computer Science Education has focused on studying block-based programming. In this approach, computer programs are created by connecting blocks and the blocks' shapes determine the permitted connections. The focus is on the program's logic instead of its syntax. This paper introduces DBSnap, a web-based application to build database queries, particularly relational algebra queries, by snapping blocks. DBSnap fully supports the construction of intuitive database query trees, which is one of the most effective approaches to teach database queries. DBSnap is also highly dynamic and shows the query results as the query is being built. The user can also inspect, at any time, the intermediate results of any query node. This paper presents DBSnap's design and implementation details, an evaluation of its effectiveness as a learning environment, and a thorough comparison with alternative ways to teach query languages. DBSnap is publicly available and aims to have the same transformational effect on database learning as previous block-based systems had on traditional programming learning.
AB - A significant amount of recent research in Computer Science Education has focused on studying block-based programming. In this approach, computer programs are created by connecting blocks and the blocks' shapes determine the permitted connections. The focus is on the program's logic instead of its syntax. This paper introduces DBSnap, a web-based application to build database queries, particularly relational algebra queries, by snapping blocks. DBSnap fully supports the construction of intuitive database query trees, which is one of the most effective approaches to teach database queries. DBSnap is also highly dynamic and shows the query results as the query is being built. The user can also inspect, at any time, the intermediate results of any query node. This paper presents DBSnap's design and implementation details, an evaluation of its effectiveness as a learning environment, and a thorough comparison with alternative ways to teach query languages. DBSnap is publicly available and aims to have the same transformational effect on database learning as previous block-based systems had on traditional programming learning.
KW - Databases curricula
KW - Query languages
KW - Relational algebra
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84942422924&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84942422924&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1145/2676723.2677220
DO - 10.1145/2676723.2677220
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84942422924
SN - 9781450329668
SP - 179
EP - 184
BT - SIGCSE 2015 - Proceedings of the 46th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education
PB - Association for Computing Machinery, Inc
ER -