ZAUDERER@SU-SUSHI.ARPA (Marvin Zauderer) (02/26/86)
From: Marvin Zauderer <ZAUDERER@SU-SUSHI.ARPA>
I'm starting some work on a visual programming language (VPL); in
particular, since I'm disappointed with the current state of software
authoring systems for educators, I'm planning to build such a system that
will run in/on top of an existing VPL.
I'm now in the process of doing some background research, and I've
assembled a fairly large number of references on the topics of
VPLs and authoring systems.
As you might imagine, the search space for the former topic is rather
immense, since the study of VPLs involves the study of so many
disciplines (e.g. cognitive science, AI, human-computer interaction,
programming environments, interactive graphics, visual thinking, etc.). Of
course, this is also precisely why I'm so interested in VPLs and VPL
applications.
I'd welcome any assistance in making the search space smaller: pointers
to references or to helpful people would be much appreciated. A nice side
effect of this search is the bibliography I'm creating; I will post it if
there is sufficient interest. Also, I'd be interested in starting a
discussion about VPLs and the connection between VPLs and AI.
As a final point, I've questioned whether or not this message belongs
in AIList, and I've decided that it does. I've reasoned that, in
building such systems, one must think about about how people think,
which is precisely the kind of thing AI researchers do. This may be a
rather flimsy justification, but I figure the worst that can happen is
an avalanche of angry mail.
Also: one would hope that the results of this thinking would go into the
kind of authoring system I'm describing. Since this seems relevant to the
topic of AI in Education, we've had some interesting discussions about
these issues recently on the AI-ED list. I still think there may be a
number of AIList readers interested in VPLs (and the associated issues) who
do not receive AI-ED.
Please correct/criticize me if you think a discussion of these issues does
not belong on AIList -- I don't want to clutter up the netwaves.
Cheers,
Marvin Zauderer
E-Mail: Zauderer@SU-SUSHI.ARPA
USMail: c/o IRIS-FAD
Cypress Hall, Room E-7
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305
Telephone: (415) 497-4540
(415) 725-3159
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