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JRM Vol.38 No.1 pp. 252-265
(2026)

Paper:

A Method for Analyzing the Programming Process with a Tangible Tool Focusing on Co-Occurrence Patterns of Operations

Tatsuo Motoyoshi, Issei Takida, Kei Sawai ORCID Icon, Hirouki Masuta, Bilguunmaa Myagmardulam, Yotaro Fuse ORCID Icon, Hironobu Takano ORCID Icon, and Noboru Takagi

Toyama Prefectural University
5180 Kurokawa, Imizu, Toyama 939-0398, Japan

Received:
June 5, 2025
Accepted:
October 2, 2025
Published:
February 20, 2026
Keywords:
co-operative matrices, tangible interface, programming process
Abstract

We developed and evaluated a P-CUBE series of block-based, tangible programming tools for beginner programmers, including the visually impaired. We conducted a trial class to create a speech program with P-CUBE3, which included a function to record the operational history data of the programming blocks. We classified the users’ operation patterns using the operation history data obtained in the class and evaluated the results. We propose a method for classifying user operation patterns from the operation history data obtained in the class and visualizing the tendency of block operations using a co-occurrence matrix. We also report the differences in the tendencies of blocking operations based on user characteristics revealed by the proposed method.

Cite this article as:
T. Motoyoshi, I. Takida, K. Sawai, H. Masuta, B. Myagmardulam, Y. Fuse, H. Takano, and N. Takagi, “A Method for Analyzing the Programming Process with a Tangible Tool Focusing on Co-Occurrence Patterns of Operations,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.38 No.1, pp. 252-265, 2026.
Data files:
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Last updated on Feb. 19, 2026