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Visual and textual programming languages: a systematic review of the literature

• Published: 15 March 2018
• Volume 5 , pages 149–174, ( 2018 )

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• Mark Noone   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4618-5982 1 &
• Aidan Mooney 1  

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It is well documented and has been the topic of much research as well that Computer Science courses tend to have higher than average drop-out rates at third level, particularly so, for students advancing from first year to second year. This is a problem that needs to be addressed not only with urgency but also with caution. The required number of Computer Science graduates is growing every year, but the number of graduates is not meeting this demand, and one way that this problem can be alleviated is to encourage students, at an early age, towards studying Computer Science courses. This paper presents a systematic literature review that examines the role of visual and textual programming languages when learning to program, particularly as a First Programming Language. The approach is systematic in that a structured search of electronic resources has been conducted, and the results are presented and quantitatively analysed. This study will provide insight into whether or not the current approaches to teaching young learners programming are viable, and examines what we can do to increase the interest and retention of these students as they progress through their education.

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This work was assisted through the support of funding received lfrom the John and Pat Hume scholarship, Maynooth University.

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Noone, M., Mooney, A. Visual and textual programming languages: a systematic review of the literature. J. Comput. Educ. 5 , 149–174 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-018-0101-5

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Received : 20 September 2017

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Accepted : 07 March 2018

Published : 15 March 2018

Issue Date : June 2018

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-018-0101-5

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Abstract: Reference resolution is an important problem, one that is essential to understand and successfully handle context of different kinds. This context includes both previous turns and context that pertains to non-conversational entities, such as entities on the user's screen or those running in the background. While LLMs have been shown to be extremely powerful for a variety of tasks, their use in reference resolution, particularly for non-conversational entities, remains underutilized. This paper demonstrates how LLMs can be used to create an extremely effective system to resolve references of various types, by showing how reference resolution can be converted into a language modeling problem, despite involving forms of entities like those on screen that are not traditionally conducive to being reduced to a text-only modality. We demonstrate large improvements over an existing system with similar functionality across different types of references, with our smallest model obtaining absolute gains of over 5% for on-screen references. We also benchmark against GPT-3.5 and GPT-4, with our smallest model achieving performance comparable to that of GPT-4, and our larger models substantially outperforming it.

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Lesson 1 : Introduction to Visual Basic

1.1 the concept of computer programming.

Programming involves the creation of a series of instructions aimed at directing a computer to perform tasks far more efficiently than humans. The initial programming language, known as machine language, relied on binary code (consisting of 0s and 1s) to establish communication with the computer. Nonetheless, machine language posed significant challenges due to its complexity. Thankfully, scientists have since developed high-level programming languages that are considerably more user-friendly and accessible for mastering. Among the high-level programming languages are Java, Javascript , C, C++, c# and Visual Basic.

If you are looking for help with your computer science essays and research papers, don't hesitate to contact paper writing services provided by CustomWritings.com.

1.2 What is Visual Basic?

Visual Basic is a third-generation event-driven programming language first released by Microsoft in 1991. It evolved from the earlier DOS version called BASIC. BASIC means B eginners' A ll-purpose S ymbolic I nstruction C ode. Since then Microsoft has released many versions of Visual Basic, from Visual Basic 1.0 to the final version Visual Basic 6.0. Visual Basic is a user-friendly programming language designed for beginners, and it enables anyone to develop GUI window applications easily.

In 2002, Microsoft released Visual Basic.NET(VB.NET) to replace Visual Basic 6. Thereafter, Microsoft declared VB6 a legacy programming language in 2008. Fortunately, Microsoft still provides some form of support for VB6. VB.NET is a fully object-oriented programming language implemented in the .NET Framework. It was created to cater for the development of the web as well as mobile applications. However, many developers still favor Visual Basic 6.0 over its successor Visual Basic.NET.

1.3 What kind of programs can you develop using Visual Basic 6?

In VB 6, the possibilities for program creation are virtually limitless. Whether you're a math teacher interested in coding programs like geometric progression, quadratic equation solver, simultaneous equation solver, prime number tester, factors finder, or a quadratic function graph Plotter—the scope is expansive. For science educators, the potential extends to simulation programs covering projectile, simple harmonic motion, star war, and beyond. Businesses can leverage VB 6 to develop applications like inventory management systems, Amortization Calculators, investments calculators, point-of-sale systems, payroll systems, accounting programs, and more, streamlining operations and boosting productivity. Gaming enthusiasts can delve into the world of VB 6 to create engaging programs such as slot machines, reversi, tic-tac-toe, and others. Moreover, the realm of multimedia is at your fingertips with the ability to craft Smart Audio Players, Multimedia Players, and a variety of other applications. For inspiration, explore our collection of VB sample codes .

1.4 The Visual Basic 6 Integrated Development Environment

You can also install VB6 on Windows 10 but you need to follow certain steps otherwise the installation will fail. First, you need to run setup as administrator. Next, you need to use custom installation. Clear the checkbox for Data Access. If you don't, set up will hang at the end of the installation. Finally, click next and wait for the installation to complete. For complete instructions, please follow this link Install VB6 on Windows 10

You can choose to either start a new project, open an existing project or select a list of recently opened programs. A project is a collection of files that make up your application. There are various types of applications that we could create, however, we shall concentrate on creating Standard EXE programs (EXE means executable). Before you begin, you must think of an application that preferably have commercial ,educational or recreational value. Next, click on the Standard EXE icon to go into the actual Visual Basic 6 programming environment.

When you start a new Visual Basic 6 Standard EXE project, you will be presented  with the Visual Basic 6 Integrated Development Environment (IDE). The Visual Basic 6 Integrated Programming Environment is shown in Figure 1.2. It consists of the toolbox, the form, the project explorer and the properties window.

The Form is the primary building block of a Visual Basic 6 application. A Visual Basic 6 application can actually comprise many forms, but we shall focus on developing an application with one form first. We will learn how to develop applications with multiple forms later. Before you proceed to build the application, it is a good practice to save the project first. You can save the project by selecting  Save Project from the File menu, assign a name to your project and save it in a certain folder. You shall now proceed to learn Visual Basic programming from the next lesson onwards.

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Write down your thoughts and shred them to relieve anger, researchers say

Writing negative reactions on paper and shredding it or scrunching and throwing in the bin eliminates angry feelings, study finds

Since time immemorial humans have tried to devise anger management techniques.

In ancient Rome, the Stoic philosopher Seneca believed “my anger is likely to do me more harm than your wrong” and offered avoidance tips in his AD45 work De Ira (On Anger).

More modern methods include a workout on the gym punchbag or exercise bike. But the humble paper shredder may be a more effective – and accessible – way to decompress, according to research.

A study in Japan has found that writing down your reaction to a negative incident on a piece of paper and then shredding it, or scrunching it into a ball and throwing it in the bin, gets rid of anger.

“We expected that our method would suppress anger to some extent,” said Nobuyuki Kawai, lead researcher of the study at Nagoya University. “However, we were amazed that anger was eliminated almost entirely.”

The study, published in Scientific Reports on Nature , builds on research on the association between the written word and anger reduction as well as studies showing how interactions with physical objects can control a person’s mood. For instance, those wanting revenge on an ex-partner may burn letters or destroy gifts.

Researchers believe the shredder results may be related to the phenomenon of “backward magical contagion”, which is the belief that actions taken on an object associated with a person can affect the individuals themselves. In this case, getting rid of the negative physical entity, the piece of paper, causes the original emotion to also disappear.

This is a reversal of “magical contagion” or “celebrity contagion” – the belief that the “essence” of an individual can be transferred through their physical possessions.

Fifty student participants were asked to write brief opinions about an important social problem, such as whether smoking in public should be outlawed. Evaluators then deliberately scored the papers low on intelligence, interest, friendliness, logic, and rationality. For good measure, evaluators added insulting comments such as: “I cannot believe an educated person would think like this. I hope this person learns something while at the university.”

The wound-up participants then wrote down their angry thoughts on the negative feedback on a piece of paper. One group was told to either roll up the paper and throw it in a bin or keep it in a file on their desk. A second group was told to shred the paper, or put it in a plastic box.

Anger levels of the individuals who discarded their paper in the bin or shredded it returned to their initial state, while those who retained a hard copy of the paper experienced only a small decrease in their overall anger.

Researchers concluded that “the meaning (interpretation) of disposal plays a critical role” in reducing anger.

“This technique could be applied in the moment by writing down the source of anger as if taking a memo and then throwing it away,” said Kawai.

Along with its practical benefits, this discovery may shed light on the origins of the Japanese cultural tradition known as hakidashisara ( hakidashi sara refers to a dish or plate) at the Hiyoshi shrine in Kiyosu, just outside Nagoya. Hakidashisara is an annual festival where people smash small discs representing things that make them angry. The study’s findings may explain the feeling of relief that participants report after leaving the festival, the paper concluded.

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