Teaching article
Debugging language should identify the mismatch
Describe the mismatch and command rather than labelling the programmer.
A comment about command two turning west instead of east gives a programmer something to investigate. Keep feedback connected to expected and actual behaviour, avoiding personal labels that add nothing to the repair.
Use expected-versus-actual language so the feedback identifies evidence. A command can be investigated and repaired without making a judgement about its author.
Describe the behaviour that needs testing
State expected behaviour. Describe actual behaviour. Propose a test.
'Command two turned west instead of east' identifies a repair target.
Debugging is investigation, not a personal score.
Is the feedback actionable? Use neutral sentence stems.
Resources
- Human Robot Commands – Coding Without Screens Printable Game — Check the command conventions before using the sequence or debugging task.
Further reading
- CS Unplugged — Kidbots and algorithm activities
- Australian Curriculum Version 9 — Technologies overview
Read next
- A decision tree needs a path for every permitted input
- Debug the first wrong state, not just the final destination
- Simplify a route map without deleting what the robot needs
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