Language Semantics, Mental Models and Analogy

Abstract The semantics of a number of programming languages is related to the operation of a computer device. Learning a programming language is considered here from the point of view of learning the operating rules of the processing device that underlies the language, as a complement to the learning of new notations, or a new means of expression to be compared to natural language. This acquisition leads beginners to elaborate a new representation and processing system (RPS) by analogy with other systems that are associated to well-known devices. During acquisition, beginners not only learn new basic operations but also the constraints of these operations upon program structures. Learning therefore concerns a basic problem space as well as abstract problem spaces within which planning takes place. The links between this approach to learning to program and a number of related works on learning to use software are underlined. Implications of these research findings in the programmer training are drawn.

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