Episode 028 - Akos - Ledeczi

In this episode, we talk with Akos Ledeczi, professor of computer engineering and senior research scientist at the Institute for Software Integrated Systems here at Vanderbilt University. Akos is the lead developer for NetsBlox, a graphical programming language designed to introduce novice programmers from middle school to college to networked programming. Students can use NetsBlox to create simple multiplayer games and to build apps that interface with public data sets. Akos is interviewed by Cliff Anderson, Associate University Librarian for Research and Learning and a member of our Leadings Lines team. Cliff and Akos discuss the past, present, and future of NetsBlox, and explore how graphical programming languages like NetsBlox, Snap!, and Scratch, are changing computer science education. One terminology note: Akos uses the term blocks-based coding to refer to programming languages like NetsBlox and Scratch in which graphical interfaces allow programmers to drag “blocks” of instructions together to create relatively complex programs. LINKS • Akos Ledeczi's faculty profile page - https://engineering.vanderbilt.edu/bio/akos-ledeczi • Vanderbilt's Institute for Software Integrated Systems - www.isis.vanderbilt.edu/ • Graphical programming languages https://netsblox.org/ https://scratch.mit.edu/ http://snap.berkeley.edu/