An Overview of the New ACM/IEEE Information Technology Curricular Framework

ACM and IEEE have developed a curricular report titled, “Information Technology Curricula 2017: Curriculum Guidelines for Baccalaureate Degree Programs in Information Technology,” known also as IT2017. The development of this report has received worldwide content contributions from industry and academia through surveys as well as many international conferences and workshops. An open online publication of the report was made available in December 2017. This paper presents a digest of the content of the report, the IT curricular framework, and suggestions for its use in developing new information technology programs or enhancing existing ones. The heart of the IT curricular framework is a set of competencies identified through knowledge, skills, and dispositions, as supported by pedagogical research. The paper also describes ways in which institutions could use the curricular framework not only to develop information technology degree programs, but also to improve and enhance related computing programs

Arequipa（秘鲁）高中生学习 STEM 专业的偏好

An investigation was carried out to determine the vocational preferences of 1159 students (764 males and 392 females) in the last two years of secondary school in the province of Arequipa (Peru) in the light of sociodemographic and family variables. The emphasis was directed to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) degrees and with the intention of knowing their specific distribution by areas of knowledge. The most relevant results show the existence of a preference for engineering degrees and where natural sciences did not merit significant preferences. In this scenario, it was found that men showed more interest in engineering compared to women. However, there was no difference in preference for natural science degrees between males and females. In addition, parochial school students are more likely to prefer natural science degrees over other degrees. These findings are discussed from an epistemological perspective based on critical realism, which proposes -among other aspects- the transcendental relevance of natural sciences and mathematics for the sustained, relevant and harmonious development of engineering.Se realizó una investigación para determinar las preferencias vocacionales de 1159 estudiantes (764 varones y 392 mujeres) de los dos últimos años de secundaria en la provincia de Arequipa (Perú) a la luz de variables sociodemográficas y familiares. El énfasis se dirigió a las carreras STEM (Ciencia, Tecnología, Ingeniería y Matemáticas) con la intención de conocer su distribución específica por áreas de conocimiento. Los resultados más relevantes muestran la existencia de una predilección por las titulaciones de ingeniería y las ciencias naturales no merecieron preferencias significativas. En este panorama, se encontró que los hombres mostraron más interés por las ingenierías en comparación con las mujeres. Sin embargo, no hubo diferencias en la preferencia por las carreras de ciencias naturales entre hombres y mujeres. Además, los estudiantes de escuelas parroquiales son más propensos a preferir las titulaciones de ciencias naturales frente a otras titulaciones. Estos hallazgos se discuten desde una perspectiva epistemológica basada en el realismo crítico, que propone -entre otros aspectos- la relevancia trascendental de las ciencias naturales y las matemáticas para el desarrollo sostenido, pertinente y armónico de la ingeniería.Было проведено исследование для определения профессиональных предпочтений 1159 учащихся (764 юношей и 392 девушек) последних двух лет средней школы в провинции Арекипа (Перу) в свете социально-демографических и семейных переменных. Основное внимание было уделено профессиям STEM (наука, технологии, инженерия и математика) с целью выяснить их конкретное распределение по областям знаний. Наиболее значимые результаты показывают наличие пристрастия к инженерным степеням, а естественные науки не заслужили значительных предпочтений. На этом примере было обнаружено, что мужчины проявляют больший интерес к инженерному делу по сравнению с женщинами. Однако не было никакой разницы в предпочтении степеней в области естественных наук между мужчинами и женщинами. Кроме того, учащиеся церковно-приходских школ чаще отдают предпочтение степеням в области естественных наук, чем другим степеням. Эти выводы обсуждаются с эпистемологической точки зрения, основанной на критическом реализме, который предлагает - среди прочих аспектов - трансцендентальную значимость естественных наук и математики для устойчивого, актуального и гармоничного развития инженерии.我们根据社会人口和家庭变量进行了一项调查，以确定阿雷基帕省（秘鲁）中学最后两年的 1159 名学生（764 名男性和 392 名女性）的专业偏好。研究重点为 STEM 专业（科学、技术、工程和数学），目的是了解其在知识领域的具体分布。最相关的结果表明，对工程学位和自然科学的偏好并不值得明显偏好。在这种情况下，人们发现男性与女性相比对工程学表现出更大的兴趣。然而，男性和女性对自然科学专业的偏好没有差异。此外，教会学校的学生更喜欢自然科学学位而不是其他学位。除其他方面外，这些发现是从基于批判现实主义的认识论角度讨论的，它提出了自然科学和数学对工程持续、相关和和谐发展的重要相关性

DBSnap-Eval: Identifying Database Query Construction Patterns

Learning to construct database queries can be a challenging task because students need to learn the specific query language syntax as well as properly understand the effect of each query operator and how multiple operators interact in a query. While some previous studies have looked into the types of database query errors students make and how the availability of expected query results can help to increase the success rate, there is very little that is known regarding the patterns that emerge while students are constructing a query. To be able to look into the process of constructing a query, in this paper we introduce DBSnap-Eval, a tool that supports tree-based queries (similar to SQL query plans) and a block-based querying interface to help separate the syntax and semantics of a query. DBSnap-Eval closely monitors the actions students take to construct a query such as adding a dataset or connecting a dataset with an operator. This paper presents an initial set of results about database query construction patterns using DBSnap-Eval. Particularly, it reports identified patterns in the process students follow to answer common database queries

Managing gamified programming courses with the FGPE platform

E-learning tools are gaining increasing relevance as facilitators in the task of learning how to program. This is mainly a result of the pandemic situation and consequent lockdown in several countries, which forced distance learning. Instant and relevant feedback to students, particularly if coupled with gamification, plays a pivotal role in this process and has already been demonstrated as an effective solution in this regard. However, teachers still struggle with the lack of tools that can adequately support the creation and management of online gamified programming courses. Until now, there was no software platform that would be simultaneously open-source and general-purpose (i.e., not integrated with a specific course on a specific programming language) while featuring a meaningful selection of gamification components. Such a solution has been developed as a part of the Framework for Gamified Programming Education (FGPE) project. In this paper, we present its two front-end components: FGPE AuthorKit and FGPE PLE, explain how they can be used by teachers to prepare and manage gamified programming courses, and report the results of the usability evaluation by the teachers using the platform in their classes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

What Do We Think We Think We Are Doing?: Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Programming

Metacognition and self-regulation are popular areas of interest in programming education, and they have been extensively researched outside of computing. While computing education researchers should draw upon this prior work, programming education is unique enough that we should explore the extent to which prior work applies to our context. The goal of this systematic review is to support research on metacognition and self-regulation in programming education by synthesizing relevant theories, measurements, and prior work on these topics. By reviewing papers that mention metacognition or self-regulation in the context of programming, we aim to provide a benchmark of our current progress towards understanding these topics and recommendations for future research. In our results, we discuss eight common theories that are widely used outside of computing education research, half of which are commonly used in computing education research. We also highlight 11 theories on related constructs (e.g., self-efficacy) that have been used successfully to understand programming education. Towards measuring metacognition and self-regulation in learners, we discuss seven instruments and protocols that have been used and highlight their strengths and weaknesses. To benchmark the current state of research, we examined papers that primarily studied metacognition and self-regulation in programming education and synthesize the reported interventions used and results from that research. While the primary intended contribution of this paper is to support research, readers will also learn about developing and supporting metacognition and self-regulation of students in programming courses

Supporting CS1 Instructors: Design and Evaluation of a Game Generator

Serious games have shown much promise in education, including in the teaching of programming. However, instructors who teach introductory programming often do not have the specialised skills to create serious games. One way to address this problem is to use domain-specific game generators to create customised games as needed. This paper presents the design and empirical evaluation of a prototype game generator tool - the Recursive Game Generator. 30 programming instructors evaluated the tool and found it useful (87%), easy to use and learn (80%); and were satisfied with the tools effectiveness and efficiency. Their positive experiences suggest that such a higher-order tool has the potential to increase the adoption of serious games in programming education, and broadly meet the needs of a diverse audience of instructors

Supporting CS Trainee Teachers with Game Authoring Tools

Despite the current evidence suggesting the potential of game-based learning (GBL) in education, developing serious games remains difficult, time consuming and expensive. This leads to low adoption of GBL in mainstream teaching. In particular, CS trainee teachers are not likely to develop and adopt serious games when they just begin teaching programming. To address this problem, we design and conduct empirical evaluation of a prototype game authoring tool called the Recursive Game Generator (RGG). The tool is aimed at supporting CS educators with little game programming skills. 22 CS trainee teachers evaluated RGG using the standard Attrakdiff questionnaire. A good user experience was indicated through the results of the scale mean scores. Meanwhile, the mean values of word pairs showed that respondents found the prototype: (i) usable for achieving goals; (ii) supportive in terms of novelty, content and stimulation; and (iii) attractive. Additionally, 70% of the participants found the approach of game generation a good idea for aiding CS teachers while another 65% noted that the generated games were interactive, practical, interesting and fun, demonstrating the tool’s potential educational value. Consequently, findings from this study may provide an opportunity for inexperienced computing teachers to embrace the idea of game generation to support the teaching and learning of difficult CS1 concepts

Toward Predicting Success and Failure in CS2: A Mixed-Method Analysis

Factors driving success and failure in CS1 are the subject of much study but less so for CS2. This paper investigates the transition from CS1 to CS2 in search of leading indicators of success in CS2. Both CS1 and CS2 at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) are taught in Python with annual enrollments of 300 and 150 respectively. In this paper, we report on the following research questions: 1) Are CS1 grades indicators of CS2 grades? 2) Does a quantitative relationship exist between CS2 course grade and a modified version of the SCS1 concept inventory? 3) What are the most challenging aspects of CS2, and how well does CS1 prepare students for CS2 from the student's perspective? We provide a quantitative analysis of 2300 CS1 and CS2 course grades from 2013--2019. In Spring 2019, we administered a modified version of the SCS1 concept inventory to 44 students in the first week of CS2. Further, 69 students completed an exit questionnaire at the conclusion of CS2 to gain qualitative student feedback on their challenges in CS2 and on how well CS1 prepared them for CS2. We find that 56% of students' grades were lower in CS2 than CS1, 18% improved their grades, and 26% earned the same grade. Of the changes, 62% were within one grade point. We find a statistically significant correlation between the modified SCS1 score and CS2 grade points. Students identify linked lists and class/object concepts among the most challenging. Student feedback on CS2 challenges and the adequacy of their CS1 preparations identify possible avenues for improving the CS1-CS2 transition.Comment: The definitive Version of Record was published in 2020 ACM Southeast Conference (ACMSE 2020), April 2-4, 2020, Tampa, FL, USA. 8 page