An Interactive Approach to Formal Languages and Automata with JFLAP

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Computer Science (31)Almost all Formal Languages and Automata (FLA) textbooks present theoretical material in a formal manner with little visualization and no feedback. This project is developing an innovative way of teaching FLA that uses the JFLAP instructional software tool to explore abstract concepts while learning the formal theory. It is also evaluating JFLAP's effectiveness through an extensive study. The goal is to show that when using JFLAP in addition to the formal theory, students gain a better and deeper understanding of FLA.Intellectual Merit:The material developed in this proposal is providing an interactive, discovery-based approach to learning. Students can receive immediate feedback on problems, and solve types of problems that are difficult to do with pencil and paper.Broader Impacts:This project is working with 11 institutions, four of which are minority non-PhD granting institutions. Its approach gives students a more hands-on approach to learning this theoretical material. JFLAP lets faculty relate the more theoretical FLA course to other computer science courses by addressing similar issues such as testing, debugging, and run time analysis. Dissemination includes enhanced software, a JFLAP user manual, a hands-on textbook, an online teacher's guide, papers, and four faculty workshops at conferences.