The last year, we have witnessed the popularization of generative artificial intelligence. Its output includes text, code, image, audio, speech, voice, music, and video. Therefore, it impacts education courses where students are required to elaborate on any of these artifacts. In particular, the generation of code affects informatics courses, where assignments usually ask students to develop and deliver programming code. The impact of generative artificial intelligence on informatics courses has been mainly studied for introductory programming courses. These studies have shown that generative artificial intelligence is able to produce highly sophisticated programs, but also that its results and rationale can be inaccurate. Moreover, the impact of generative artificial intelligence has not been studied for other informatics subjects. In this paper, we present our preliminary experience and proposals on three advanced software courses, namely video games, advanced algorithms and language processors. For the video games course, we present the opportunities of use of generative artificial intelligence and the results of a survey conducted with students on their use to obtain different media products. For the algorithms course, we present the result of a session driven by the instructor on different design techniques, showing the merits and demerits of the answers generated. For the language processors course, a proposal of use of generative artificial intelligence is presented, broken down into the parts of a typical language processor. The paper concludes with some suggestions for instructors.

This work describes an incremental design of a course that implements the flipped classroom methodology. The last phase of this implementation was to include rewards based on self-evaluation tests that would impact the students' grades. This should foster students' engagement with the learning methodology. In this work, a deep analysis of the impact of the reward is performed. The analysis of the use of the out-class materials shows that the students' pace does not correspond to the flipped classroom methodology. The students' behaviour is more focused on achieving rewards rather than preparing in-class activities with out-class materials. It is hypothesized that, the main reasons for these behaviours could be that, on the one hand, since the reward is considered by students as another item of the course grade, they work to get the reward. On the other hand, students do not want to change their study methodology because getting involved in the flipped methodology requires from them a significant effort.

This working group concerns the adoption of computing education (CE) in undergraduate computer science (CS) programmes. Such adoption requires both arguments sufficient to persuade our departmental colleagues and our education committees, and also curricular outlines to assist our colleagues in delivery. The goal of the group is to develop examples of both arguments and curricular outlines, drawing on any prior experience available.

This work studies the effect of using software visualization to teach syntax directed translation, a complex topic within compiler subjects. A trial was conducted with 34 students using LISA as the visualization tool. It was divided in two phases. Firstly, student's experience during compilers construction labs was studied, comparing LISA versus CUP. All participants used both tools and answered a questionnaire. LISA was scored as more motivational and easier to use. Moreover, key theoretical concepts were better identified with LISA. Secondly, a typical lecture (control group) was compared against a lecture using LISA (treatment group). Students were randomly distributed between both groups and answered a knowledge test following the lectures. Results showed that the treatment group significantly outperformed the control group. However, areas for improvement have been detected even in the treatment group. These improvements could be addressed by enhancing the visualization tool with features to increase student engagement.

Video-based learning is a widely used approach for teaching. This paper investigates how this approach could be improved with other well known methodology: computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL). The integration of both approaches results in a creative and engaging educational activity, collaborative film-making. This task is supported by a platform developed as a social network During the design of the platform, opinions of teachers and students were taken into account. Both, teachers and students, agreed that this approach helps students to understand threshold concepts. In addition, students identified useful facilities in the platform like group-private workspaces or commenting tools. Students' satisfaction was high, in fact they recommend the use of this approach in more subjects.

This courseware contribution describes the work done based on a social networking platform for educational purposes. The main task of the students will be creating videos related to concepts of inheritance. One of the main roles of the platform is to facilitate communication and discussion among students during the video creation process. Students thought that private discussion forums and video rating were the most useful tools. In addition students are satisfied with the learning experience.

In this paper we study two different approaches to using program animations with educational aims: their construction by students -a constructivist and active approach- and their vision -a less active approach. In addition, we compare both approaches to a traditional teaching methodology where animations are not used. We have conducted a long-term evaluation with functional program animations using an existing IDE with visualization features called WinHIPE. Our results are mixed. Students have a positive opinion about the animations, either viewing or constructing them. While the viewing approach improves some aspect of knowledge acquisition, both approaches decrease the fail-rate. Finally, the construction approach improves the students' attitude towards the subject. Therefore, both uses of program animations should be integrated in the teaching methodology.

In this paper we study two different approaches to using program animations with educational aims: their construction by students -a constructivist and active approach- and their vision -a less active approach. In addition, we compare both approaches to a traditional teaching methodology where animations are not used. We have conducted an experiment with functional program animations using an existing IDE with visualization features called WinHIPE. We have analyzed the results in terms of Bloom's Taxonomy and the complexity of the topics covered. We have detected learning improvements in high levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, namely analysis and synthesis. Moreover, our results show that program animations are unnecessary for simple topics, support the joint use of vision and construction tasks in medium-complexity topics, and recommend vision tasks together with the typical methodology but without the use of animations in the most complex topics.

This paper presents the evaluation of an educational tool focused on the visualization of the symbol table in the context of a compiler course. In a first evaluation we used simulation exercises and tested basic concepts of symbol tables. We detected efficiency improvements, students who used the tool completed the exercises with the same grading and significantly faster than the students who did not use the tool. In addition students' opinion was positive. In a second evaluation we used more active tasks, and tested students' skills on writing parser specifications regarding symbol table management. We have detected significant improvements. Students who used the tool outperformed those who did not use the tool in a 22%.

SRec (System for RECursion animation) is an educational software tool that allows creating animated interactive visualizations of recursive algorithms written in the Java language. In this paper, we present the results of four usability evaluation sessions held with our students. Usability was mainly evaluated with respect to easiness of use, adequacy to the task, quality, and if the user liked it. This untypical sequence of usability evaluations also has resulted in some interesting lessons on the development of educational software.

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This paper describes the educational tool VAST. We designed VAST to be used in compiler and language processing courses. The current version allows generating and visualizing syntax trees and their construction process. The main advantages of VAST follow: it is designed to be as independent from the parser generator as possible, it allows students to visualize the behaviour of parsers they develop, and it has an interface designed to easily handle huge syntax trees. We describe different ways of using VAST in educational settings as well as a usability evaluation.

In this demonstration we present VAST, a visualization tool to support teaching language processors. On the one hand, VAST provides an API that allows generating visualizations of syntax trees independently of the parser generator. On the other hand, VAST provides a GUI with multiple views: the source code, the stack and the syntax tree.

SRec is an animation system of recursion intended to assist in algorithm courses. We present the main contributions of version 1.1. First, SRec fully supports any kind of recursion. Second, it provides three additional graphical representations for divide-and-conquer algorithms. Finally, it is highly interactive to promote an exploratory style of learning.

This article reviews successful educational experiences in using program and algorithm visualizations (PAVs). First, we survey a total of 18 PAV systems that were subject to 33 evaluations. We found that half of the systems have only been tested for usability, and those were shallow inspections. The rest were evaluated with respect to their educational effectiveness. Script-based systems seem to be well suited for the viewing, responding, and changing engagement levels, while compiler-based systems do well for the construction and presenting engagement levels. Finally, we analyze additional PAV features of successful evaluations and hypothesize that they are relevant.

Recursion is an important topic in computer science curricula. It is related to the acquisition of competences regarding problem decomposition, functional abstraction and the concept of induction. In comparison with direct recursion, mutual recursion is considered to be more complex. Consequently, it is generally addressed superficially in CS1/2 programming courses and textbooks. We show that, when a problem is approached appropriately, not only can mutual recursion be a powerful tool, but it can also be easy to understand and fun. This paper provides several intuitive and attractive algorithms that rely on mutual recursion, and which have been designed to help strengthen students' ability to decompose problems and apply induction. Furthermore, we show that a solution based on mutual recursion may be easier to design, prove and comprehend than other solutions based on direct recursion. We have evaluated the use of these algorithms while teaching recursion concepts. Results suggest that mutual recursion, in comparison with other types of recursion, is not as hard as it seems when: (1) determining the result of a (mathematical) function call, and, most importantly, (2) designing algorithms for solving simple problems.

In this paper we describe SRec, a system to animate recursion in Java programs. It is intended to assist in algorithm courses to better understand and analyze algorithm behavior. We make several contributions. Firstly, SRec exhibits a comprehensive set of animation and educational features. It provides three complem- entary, coordinated views of recursion: traces, the execution stack and activation trees. SRec allows the user constructing and modifying animations without effort. The animation can be played flexibly, both forward and backwards. It also provides facilities to integrate animations into courses. Secondly, the paper describes the educational features of the system and its use in algorithm courses. Thirdly, the system has been fully evaluated with respect to usability (using formative and summative methods) and has been compared to other systems reported in the literature. The results of both evaluations are highly positive.

We have developed several tools to allow instructors analyze students' interactions in a Course Management System. In this paper we describe a Systematic Usability Evaluation designed to test the usability of one of these tools. The evaluations were based on task analysis and follow-up studies. We have assessed effectiveness, efficiency, usefulness, ease of use, learnability, and user's satisfaction of the tool. In addition to regular observation and questionnaires, 3- scope video recording was used to provide the evaluator with more information about interactions. The use of this technology helped us in identifying functions and features that need improvement. We describe the three-step method that we have developed and the satisfactory results it has provided us.

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Programming is a suitable field to design electronic books with a laboratory component, where the programming task is exercised in the theoretical context provided by the book. The goal of the paper is to make a review of current electronic books for programming education and identify future lines of research. First, we review a number of software tools and electronic books for programming education in order to give a broad vision of technological opportunities in programming education. Later, a comparative analysis of such electronic books is made. Finally, based on this overview and analysis, we identify aspects that either are currently poorly supported or are a subject of active research, thus constituting potential areas for future improvement.