Cognitive Implications of Learning Prolog—Mistakes and Misconceptions

Abstract

Mistakes and misconceptions of high school students learning the logic-based programming language Prolog at an introductory level are described and analyzed. In this article, mistakes and misconceptions refer to errors that originate from a conceptual misunderstanding of basic ideas in logic programming and Prolog. A cognitive error classification scheme is presented in which four categories of underlying misunderstandings are identified: personification, conservation, concretization, and preconception. Examples of the various mistakes and misconceptions are presented and didactic suggestions are discussed for preventing or eliminating their occurrence.