Informatica

Tablet computers and other mobile devices are widely used in education and other life activities. However, touch screen keyboards are not adapted to languages using alphabets with more letters than the English alphabet has. In this paper, we analyze the existing keyboards on such devices for various languages, influence of keyboard usability on the number of typing errors, and propose keyboard design guidelines for non-English languages. As an example, the layout for the Lithuanian language keyboard (32 native letters and 3 foreign letters) has been presented here. The described solution is not strictly related to the peculiarities of the Lithuanian language alphabet (apart from the number of letters), therefore it is suitable for other languages using a similar number of letters.

Localization is a complex process based on translation and adaptation of software features. Usually localization progress is identified with the number of translated resource strings. The paper investigates the dependency of number of translated strings to amount of human resources used. It is shown that the number of translated strings increases much slower at the end of the work than at beginning. The last strings are especially difficult to translate. Quantitative evaluation of dependency between number of strings in progress and human resources is presented.

Teaching of computer programming by electronic mail has been held in Lithuanian schools since 1992. School students of upper grades (8–12) took part in the experiments. The experiments showed that students cope better with first stages of programming (specifying the problem, etc.) than with the last ones (programming, debugging). The analysis of programming products (made by their peers) by students themselves may be expected to be an important component of learning and teaching.

The results of investigation of computer programs written by school students during the 6th International Olympiad in Informatics are presented. Pascal program texts are analyzed on the lexical level. A certain relationship is indicated between program correctness and usage of some programming constructs as well as readability of the program text. The results are discussed from the standpoint of programming teaching.

A development of algorithms and writing of programs are considered as closely related but not identical parts of computer programming. Some differences between them are important for learning of computer programming, in particular, in distance learning. These differences are identified and discussed from the pedagogical point of view. The arguments for the selection of pedagogical based and cost-effective delivery modes in the case of distance learning are investigated. Practical examples supporting theoretical arguments are given on the activities of Lithuanian schools.

The role of an interface between an algorithm and its environment for school students is discussed. The motivation of the use of Pascal functions and procedures instead of commonly used programs in the first lessons of programming is presented. The main features of an interpreter of algorithms (Pascal functions and procedures) implemented on school computer are presented.

The role and goals of computer programming in the education of young people are discussed. The activity of the Lithuanian Young Programmers School by correspondence is described. Motivation of its curriculum and the way of teaching are given. Relations with the competitions of programmers and some other forms of teaching are considered.