IEEE news: ‘ALICE’ AIMS TO HELP GIRLS BUILD PROGRAMMING SKILLS

Alice, a Java-based interactive program that allows users to produce 3-D computer animation images without the need for advanced level programming skills has been created by a lab director at Carnegie Mellon University (USA) in an effort to draw middle-school age girls to the computer science field. Through the use of a computer mouse, young users can create stories, outline the actions of characters or objects, and perform graphics programs using simple commands, such as a drop and drag interface. CMU officials claim Alice has been successful in teaching programming skills to female students from middle school to college-age. The link.