Novice programming environments: lowering the barriers, supporting the progression

In 2011, the author published an article that looked at the state of the art in novice programming environments. At the time, there had been an increase in the number of programming environments that were freely available for use by novice programmers, particularly children and young people. What was interesting was that they offered a relatively sophisticated set of development and support features within motivating and engaging environments, where programming could be seen as a means to a creative end, rather than an end in itself. Furthermore, these environments incorporated support for the social and collaborative aspects of learning. The article considered five environments—Scratch, Alice, Looking Glass, Greenfoot, and Flip— examining their characteristics and investigating the opportunities they might offer to educators and learners alike. It also considered the broader implications of such environments for both teaching and research. In this chapter, the author revisits the same five environments, looking at how they have changed in the intervening years. She considers their evolution in relation to changes in the field more broadly (e.g., an increased focus on “programming for all”) and reflects on the implications for teaching, as well as research and further development

The use of three-dimensional reconstructions in the diagnosis of impacted teeth

Numerous efforts have been made towards three-dimensional (3D) radiographic imaging in all fields of dentistry, ranging from oral surgery to orthodontics. Although computerized tomography (CT) has been available for quite some time now, its use in dentistry has always been limited because of cost, access, and dose considerations. In orthodontics, diagnosis and treatment planning has been based traditionally on 2D imaging, mainly cephalometric and panoramic radiographs. The introduction of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) represented a true revolution in dento-maxillofacial radiology, and a shift from 2D to 3D data acquisition, image reconstruction, and visualization. Therefore, CBCT has now been introduced in different areas of orthodontic diagnostic procedures and treatment planning: Evaluation of cleft palate patients, airway and soft tissue analysis, temporomandibular joint morphology assessment, diagnosis of bony asymmetry, localization of impacted teeth and detection of resorption of adjacent teeth. This book chapter gives an overview of the current literature regarding the present use of CBCT in the localization of impacted teeth for orthodontic purposes. The potential, advantages and disadvantages in the diagnosis of impacted teeth will be discussed, also using case examples from the clinical practice. © 2010, IGI Global.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex