An interactive GUI based IDE for learning the C programming language

[Nihav Jain]

Hi,

I am Nihav Jain, a 3rd year, Information Systems undergraduate student from BITS Pilani. I have worked extensively on Adobe Flash (ActionScript 3.0) and Android app development for the past 3 years. I have a fair bit of experience with Windows Phone and iOS app development too. I have also tried my hand at game development, face recognition, and a respectable bit of web-development (HTML5, CSS3, Javascript, PHP). You can check out my projects on my LinkedIn profile here.

My idea is to develop a mobile application which will teach children the programming language C by the use of drag-able code blocks. 

The project will consist of the various constructs used in C in the form of drag-able jigsaw puzzle pieces. Two pieces will fit in together only when they form the correct syntax. The application will also provide the user with all the information(tutorials) about each construct. All the user has to do is to drag the various pieces. and arrange them like a jigsaw puzzle. 

The actual C source code corresponding to the code "built" by the user using the jigsaw pieces will be generated simultaneously which will help the user match the jigsaw pieces to the C code.

We can have some specific beginner-level programming questions and their solutions stored in the app. e.g. The user is asked to "build" a program which prints the first 10 prime numbers. If the user fails, he can have a look at our solution. 

So basically the app will have 

- tutorials for all the constructs of C

- practice problems

- a user friendly GUI where user can create his code with instant syntax checking 

- ability to view/edit the corresponding C code and compile and run it

I drew up a simple GUI for the app to give you a better idea of what I am proposing. Will be modifying it to make it more appealing and interactive.

[Pankaj Nathani]

Hi Nihav,

Thanks for your introduction. What age group children do you plan this application for?

Doesn't any mobile application project list on our ideas page interest you? Note that if you submit a proposal for a new idea, it has to really stand out for us to accept it.

Regards,

Pankaj.

 

[Nihav Jain]

Hi Pankaj, 

What age group children do you plan this application for?

 

I am targeting children of class 7 and above. In ICSE board schools, students are taught Java right from class 8th, so I guess learning C would be a lot easier from that age. 

Also my main motive behind this idea was to make learning a programming language more intuitive. Learning how to code from that black console screen by writing a mix of english and math and putting oddly shaped brackets here and there was not fun for all my friends. Children who are taught their first programming language need a more intuitive tool to work with.

Pictures, images and graphics help us remember better. Remember when we were kids and used to play with jigsaw puzzles, most of the time we used to get it right not because the picture looked correct, but because the pieces fit!! I want to apply the same approach to teach children how to code. 

 

Doesn't any mobile application project list on our ideas page interest you? 

 

I am really interested in "Label the Diagram" and "Practice Handwriting" application with more inclination towards the latter.

I will post my queries and ideas about them in a new thread.

Thank you.

[Rahul Ahuja]

Hi Nihav

If Label the diagram and Practice Handwriting projects interest you.. I would suggest you to focus on them. We are open to new ideas as project proposals but it has to be exceptional to be accepted. 

For this years' GSoC we may focus on creating mLearning apps on subjects like Geography, science, maths, history, etc.. and may not be technical programming apps.