Iconic framework for cooperative coding

Abstract

The description of an innovative framework built on top of Web-based visual programming environment is the primary aim of this contribution. In the last decade, many frameworks oriented to visual languages have been introduced in literature to improve the skill on programming languages, but at the best of our knowledge, no framework has been specially designed to support collaborative work on heterogeneous distributed environments. Therefore, SIRENE introduces a new framework in which beginners and experts can cooperate to develop algorithms by using a visual and iconic paradigm. Students, in the classroom or connected from everywhere, can be involved into the definition of the algorithm, can asynchronously modify the common working space, show a visual function to expert, thus the server hosts a shared space in which the algorithms can be visualised and modified by all of the SIRENE clients. SIRENE is primarily a visual framework oriented to collaborative approaches in which each user can visualise the evolution or implementation of some algorithms and modify it during its development by other users.