@inproceedings{786dd3d160e6481988db68db396ec328,
title = "Evaluating Algorithm Visualizations, Debuggers, and Execution Toward Helping Students Understand Code",
abstract = "Algorithm visualizations have historically shown mixed results in effectiveness. This study aims to clarify their utility by comparing an algorithm visualization based on an expert skill, abstract tracing, against typical debuggers in helping students understand code. Through a randomized experiment with 421 undergraduate students, we evaluated these tools while considering code complexity and student performance. Our findings indicate that while visualizations and debuggers generally performed similarly, algorithm visualizations showed potential benefits as code complexity increased.",
keywords = "code comprehension, debuggers, execution, visualization",
author = "Mohammed Hassan and Craig Zilles",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 Copyright held by the owner/author(s).; 1st ACM Virtual Global Computing Education Conference V. 2, SIGCSE Virtual 2024 ; Conference date: 05-12-2024 Through 08-12-2024",
year = "2024",
month = dec,
day = "5",
doi = "10.1145/3649409.3691095",
language = "English (US)",
series = "SIGCSE Virtual 2024 - Proceedings of the 2024 ACM Virtual Global Computing Education Conference V. 2",
publisher = "Association for Computing Machinery",
pages = "320--321",
booktitle = "SIGCSE Virtual 2024 - Proceedings of the 2024 ACM Virtual Global Computing Education Conference V. 2",
address = "United States",
}