Programming Turing Machines as a Game for Technology Sense-Making To gain a better understanding of the process through which technology users become technology creators, we designed a paper-based, tangible Turing Machine and introduced it to 54 teenage students. The information collected through tinkering tasks and a questionnaire is discussed both via statistics and qualitative analysis. This initial study suggests that simple paper tangibles and tinkering have a place in future, technology-enhanced learning, and that central technological concepts can be discussed on the basis of low-cost tabletop-like games. We also notice a general interest in the historical development of technologies, that seems to enhance motivation and participation.

1. Programming Turing Machines as a
game for technology sense-making
Andrea Valente Emanuela Marchetti
Department of Architecture, Design Institute for Learning and Philosophy
and Media Technology
Aalborg University Esbjerg, Denmark
av@create.aau.dk ema@create.aau.dk
http://www.create.aau.dk/av/ http://personprofil.aau.dk/profil/123867

2. Our goal
● Observe transition from (technology) user to creator
● How do users (and creators) make sense of their
technology? Differences? Perception of self?
● How?
● as a game ?
● by programming (but how?)
● ask/observe circa sense-making
● Who?
● pre-university students

3. Paper Turing Machines
Programming, but...
- tangible
- symbols are all that counts
- program is a card
- manual execution

4. Test (and demo)
● Let's see what we did... and you can participate too!
1) presentation of computation and computing machines
Hilbert's decision problems as motivation for TMs
2) play/program, by solving given tasks, with a tangible TM
● ... demo ...
● Method: observation, then questionnaires

5. DEMO Invert and 
    
if write
move
jumpTo
if write
move
jumpTo
TASK
Design and test a TM for this
if write
problem.
move
jumpTo
Consider: input = 1101 in binary, output = 0010

6. 54/41 = test/questionnaire
Quantitative
Girls/Boys Prog/Never
Tech/Hum Red/Struct/Emp

7. Red/Struct/Emp
● Actual question asked:
● You are studing a complex thing (example: the human brain). Your position is:
1) all I need to do is to study very well the components (example: neurons)
2) the most important thing is the interaction among components
3) no matter what I do, I will only get a partial understanding
● Definitions:
● Reductionism ... analyzing and describing a complex phenomenon ... in terms of
phenomena that are held to represent a simpler or more fundamental level [google
dictionary]
● Structuralism ... focuses on relationships of contrast between elements in a
conceptual system [google dictionary]
● Empiricists assume obtaining a complete knowledge of the world is not possible, but
fortunately it is also not needed in order to predict and even control the behavior of
complex phenomena [Gödel, Escher and Bach]

8. Quantitative
Tech Hum
Hum
Blank Blank
Prog
NeverProg
Tech
Prog in %
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Never
Tech Hum
None Hum
None
Reduct
Struct
Red Tech
Empiric
in %
Struct 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Emp

9. Qualitative
Observations:
● Tinkering helps – low-fi can works just fine!
● For some, easier to alter the formalism (creative/cheating)
● Curiosity, pride, positive response to challenge
● Social interaction: coaching/leading emerged in groups
● History matters
● Babbage, Hilbert and Turing
● Elicitation of discussion
by Sydney Padua

10. Conclusions and future work
● In just 2 hours the visiting students learned about TMs, decision problems, and could
work with programming tasks.
● Technically inclined individuals tend to agree with reductionist positions and are more
likely to have experienced programming before university.
● Humanities inclined students instead are more frequently empiricists and might find
technical subjects more attracting if historically contextualized.
● Technical skills like programming, which originated from rationalism might appeal
more naturally to reductionist individuals.
● Historical grounding interests all and possibly motivates also HUMs.
● Digital immigrants (me), digital natives (my daughter)... digital authors? (script
kid)
● New tasks and a more playful PTM is under development (turn-based!)

11.     
Inv
if write

move
jumpTo Inv
if
 write
move
   
SOLUTION
jumpTo Inv
if  write 
    
move
jumpTo F
   
   
   
Finish

12. Article
● Programming Turing Machines as a Game for Technology Sense-Making
http://secure3.computer.org/csdl/proceedings/icalt/2011/4346/00/4346a428-
abs.html