CAL-Sapientia - Research – Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania

Computer Assisted Learning

Topics

The research group is focused on the following topics:

• Computer aided IT education
  • The role of the senses and interactivity in programming education
  • Schematic and realistic algorithm visualizations
  • Computer aided mathematics education
• IT applications in the educational sciences
  • The AlgoRythmics learning environment
  • Education supported by AI and modern technologies

Members

• Zoltán Kátai 
• Erika Osztián 
• Dávid Andrei Iclănzan 
• Zsuzsa Nagy 
• Pálma Rozália Osztián 
• Ágnes Sántha
• Szabolcs Máthé
• László Tóth
• Alpár Károly Adorjáni
• Rebeka Elekes
• Dániel Nágó

Partner Institutions

• Eötvös Lóránd University, Faculty of Informatics, Budapest, Hungary, Dr. Zsakó László, 
• , Szabó László, Dr. Pusztai Kinga
• University of Debrecen, Faculty of Informatics, Debrecen, Hungary, Dr. Csernoch Mária
• Babeş -Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Dr. Ionescu Klára, Drd. Vekov Géza, Drd. Lőrincz Beáta

Financed Scientific Projects

• „ALGO-RYTHMICS: Science and Art without ethnic frontiers”, supported by the Govern of Hungary („Szülőföld-alap” programme), 2009-2010;
• „A unified, interactive, multi-sensory electronic learning environment for the development of computational thinking”, KPI, 2017-2018;
• Promoting computational thinking by human centered algorithm visualizations.

Research Visits

• CEEPUS (2016, Kátai Zoltán, University of Szeged)
• CEEPUS (2018, Kátai Zoltán, ELTE)
• Erasmus+ (2018, Kátai Zoltán, University of Szeged)
• Erasmus+ (2019, Kátai Zoltán, University of Debrecen)
• Erasmus+ (2019, Osztián Erika, University of Debrecen)
• Erasmus+ (2022, Kátai Zoltán, ELTE)
• Erasmus+ (2024, Kátai Zoltán, ELTE)
• Erasmus+ (2025, Kátai Zoltán, University of Debrecen)
• Collegium talentum scholarship (2018-19, Osztián Erika; advisor: Kátai Zoltán)
• Balassi scholarship (2019, Osztián Pálma; advisor: Kátai Zoltán)
• Balassi scholarship (2020, Osztián Pálma; advisor: Kátai Zoltán)
• Collegium talentum scholarship (2021-22, Osztián Pálma; advisor: Kátai Zoltán)
• Collegium talentum scholarship (2022-23, Osztián Pálma; advisor: Kátai Zoltán)

Conferences

• (2021, A) International Conference on Computational Science (ICCS). Krakow, Poland
• (2020, B) Annual Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE). Uppsala, Sweden
• (2019, A) International Conference on Neural Information Processing (ICONIP). Sydney, Australia
• (2019) EdMedia + Innovate Learning. Amsterdam, Netherlands
• (2017, 2018, 2023) International Conference on New Horizons in Education (INTE). Berlin, Germany; Paris, France; Rome, Italy
• (2022) International Conference on Paradigms of Computing, Communication and Data Sciences: PCCDS, Singapore
• (2023) (EDULEARN, Spanyolország)
• (2023) Sociology of Education: Wellbeing and Resilience in the Times of Crisis, Warsaw, Poland
• (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025) INFODIDACT. Zamárdi, Hungary
• (2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025) SzámOkt, Számítástechnika és Oktatás Konferencia. EMT, Romania
• (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025) MathInfo, International Conference on Mathematics and Informatics. Sapientia EMTE, Romania

Publications 

• Q1] Kátai, Z., Osztián, P. R., & Iclanzan, D. (2024). Enacting algorithms: Evolution of the algorythmics storytelling. Education and Information Technologies, 29, 19197–19228. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12617-y
• [Q1] Katai, Z., & Iclanzan, D. (2023). Impact of instructor on-slide presence in synchronous e-learning. Education and Information Technologies, 28(3), 3089-3115.
• [Q1] Katai, Z., & Osztian, E. (2023). Learning computer algorithms through dynamic visualizations: Benefits of ‘AlgoRythmics’ videos. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 39(6), 2035-2046. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12864
• [A] Iclanzan, D., & Kátai, Z. (2023, June). A Framework for Effective Guided Mnemonic Journeys. In International Conference on Computational Science (pp. 751-765). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.
• [Q2] Osztián, P., Kátai, Z., Sántha, Á., & Osztián, E. (2022) Investigating the AlgoRythmics YouTube channel: the Comment Term Frequency Comparison social media analytics method, Acta Univ. Sapientiae, Informatica, 14, 2, 273–301
• [Q1] Katai, Z., & Iclanzan, D. (2022). Impact of instructor on-slide presence in synchronous e-learning. Education and Information Technologies, 1-27.
• [Q2] Osztián, P., Kátai, Z., & Osztián, E. (2022).On the computational thinking and diagrammatic reasoning of first-year computer science and engineering students, Frontiers in Education, 693
• [Q2] Kátai, Z., & Osztián, E. (2022).Visualizing Algorithms: Schematic Computer Animations versus Realistic Dance Choreography Illustrations, Acta Polytechnica Hungarica, Vol. 19, No. 1
• Kátai, Z., (2021). Algorythmics: Technologically and artistically enhanced computer science education. Sciencia, Cluj Napoca
• [Q2] Kátai, Z., & Osztián, E. (2021). Improving AlgoRythmics Teaching-Learning Environment by Asking Questions. International Journal of Instruction, 14(2).
• [Q1] Kátai, Z., Osztián, E., & Lorincz, B. (2021). Investigating the computational thinking ability of young school students across grade levels in two different types of Romanian educational institutions. New Approaches in Educational Research. In press.
• [A] Iclanzan, D., & Kátai, Z. (2021). Increasing the impact of teacher presence in online lectures. In 2021 International Conference on Computational Science. Krakow, Poland.
• [Q1] Katai, Z. (2020). Promoting computational thinking of both sciences-and humanities-oriented students: an instructional and motivational design perspective. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68(5), 2239-2261.
• [B] Osztián, P. R., Kátai, Z., & Osztián, E. (2020, October). Algorithm Visualization Environments: Degree of interactivity as an influence on student-learning. In 2020 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) (pp. 1-8). IEEE.
• [Q2] Harangus, K., & Kátai, Z. (2020). Computational Thinking in Secondary and Higher Education. Procedia Manufacturing, 46, 615-622.
• [A] Janosi-Rancz, K. T., Kátai, Z., & Iclanzan, D. (2019). Linking Formal and Informal Structures based on Members' E-mail Communication Patterns. Aust. J. Intell. Inf. Process. Syst., 17(1), 9-16.
• Nagy, E. J., Osztián, P. R., Cosma, C., Kátai, Z., & Osztián, E. (2019, June). Looking for the Optimal Interactivity Level in the AlgoRythmics Learning Environment. In EdMedia+ Innovate Learning (pp. 106-114). Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).
• [Q2] Harangus, K., & Kátai, Z. (2018). Algorithmic thinking vs. text comprehension. Procedia Manufacturing, 22, 1031-1037.
• [Q4] Kátai, Z. Osztián, E., Lőrincz, B.: The effect of multiple graphical representations on learning algoritms In: The online Journal of Educational Technology International Conference on New Horizons in Education, Paris, [814,819], 2018
• [Q4] Osztián, E., Kátai, Z., Vekov, G.: Multi dimensional expansion of algorythmics In: INTE International Conference on New Horizons in Education, IDEC International Distance Education Conference, ITICAL International Trends and Issues in Communication & Media Conference Proceedings Book Vol. 2 July 17 19, 2017, Berlin, Germany / Eds. Aytekin Işman, Ahmet Eskicumali, ASET, Sakarya, 701-706, 2017.

Prizes, Inventions, Prototypes, Demos

• 2013 Best Practices in Education Award (Informatics Europe) (http://www.informatics-europe.org/services/curriculum-award.html) (Zoltán Kátai, László Tóth and Alpár Károly Adorjáni "Multi-Sensory Informatics Education").
• The website of the AlgoRythmics online learning environment (https://www.algo-rythmics.com/)
• The YouTube channnel of the AlgoRythmics online learning environment (https://www.youtube.com/user/AlgoRythmics)
• The social media sites of the AlgoRythmics online learning environment:
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlgoRythmics/
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/algorythmics/