ProPAT: A Programming ITS Based on Pedagogical Patterns

Research on cognitive theories about programming learning suggests that experienced programmers solve problems by looking for previous solutions that are related to the new problem and that can be adapted to the current situation. Inspired by these ideas, programming teachers have developed a pattern based programming instruction. In this model, learning can be seen as a process of pattern recognition, which compares experiences from the past with the current situation. In this work, we present a new Eclipse programming environment in which a student can program using a set of pedagogical patterns, i.e., elementary programming patterns recommended by a group of teachers.