Show HN: CodeStruct – Python programming environment for novices after Scratch

CodeStruct is a structured editor that includes:

→ a context-aware toolbox of explorable tutorials

→ allows point-and-click + char-by-char code insertions

→ automatically handles syntax

→ provides immediate feedback + suggestions while coding

→ provides visual aids: holes + scope

We also evaluated CodeStruct in an 11-session study with 26 high school students. Some of the results:

→ Transitioning to CodeStruct reduced syntax errors (4.35x) and help requests (4.63x) when compared to transitioning directly to Python.

→ Interestingly, learners that used CodeStruct performed equally well after the scaffolds were removed.

Learn more here: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3501712.3529733

A very insightful project! I’ve seen programming students struggle with syntax, and this could definitely be one of the solutions guiding them towards a successful transition to Python.

Nice! This really helps students struggle less with syntax and think more about the behavior of the code that they want to write in a different way from Scratch. It's like Python with handles!

CodeStruct is a wonderful tool! Combining the structured style of a block based editor while keeping certain aspects of text based editors really helps students transition smoothly!

I love the toolbox and the on-hover effects. I wish many other programming environments for children would include a similar thing.