The Embodied Runtime
Dennis Heihoff at Clojure/conj 2019
When we teach programming we usually start with code. We tell beginners that “it runs” but all they see is static text. Add to that the confusion of symbols, syntax and code editors. Does any of the above have to do with comprehending the behavior of a program?
The Embodied Runtime argues that it doesn’t. It’s a new curriculum for teaching programming that uses a few props, physical space and the participant’s bodies to simulate a runtime. People represent data, data-structures, functions etc; they get to experience code by moving in circles for loops and reductions, and from side to side for maps and filters.
The Embodied Runtime argues that it doesn’t. It’s a new curriculum for teaching programming that uses a few props, physical space and the participant’s bodies to simulate a runtime. People represent data, data-structures, functions etc; they get to experience code by moving in circles for loops and reductions, and from side to side for maps and filters.