Teaching K-12 Classrooms Data Programming: A Three-Week Workshop with Online and Unplugged Activities

Abstract

This paper shares our experience in a three-session online workshop using a new web-based data programming environment, Marti. The programming environment uses a card-based programming strategy in both unplugged and online activities. Educators can use the physical cards in a board-game style or use the programming environment's mobile application to scan these cards and render the final visualization on their phones/tablets. The web environment also uses visual draggable cards for programming that can manipulate and visualize data. We used Marti and its offered unplugged activities in three sessions with 12 middle school and 12 high school students, focusing on the data fundamentals, analysis, and visualization. We assert that integrating unplugged-style pseudo-code creation and supporting a similar experience using the available devices have considerable potential for delivering equal and affordable data programming education for all.