A Game Based, Financial Literacy Oriented Approach to Improving Programming Education

Every year, two thirds of college seniors (about 1.8 million) in the US graduate with significant debts, but most of them are poorly equipped with essential financial knowledge to manage their debts and make intelligent financial decisions. Programming courses are uniquely positioned to offer opportunities to help students improve financial literacy. However, there have been no integrated courses to exploit the synergy. Meanwhile, computing disciplines face continued challenges of getting students interested in computing and finding ways to improve learning effectiveness. To address these challenges, we are developing an innovative teaching strategy that infuses financial literacy into four computing courses and engages students to develop financial literacy games. Students’ interests and learning outcomes will be improved because they enjoy computer games and are motivated when they use computing skills to address issues closely related to their daily lives

A gentle transition from Java programming to Web Services using XML-RPC

Exposing students to leading edge vocational areas of relevance such as Web Services can be difficult. We show a lightweight approach by embedding a key component of Web Services within a Level 3 BSc module in Distributed Computing. We present a ready to use collection of lecture slides and student activities based on XML-RPC. In addition we show that this material addresses the central topics in the context of web services as identified by Draganova (2003)

Learning Object Oriented Programming Using Augmented Reality - A Case Study with Elementary School Students

abstract: There is a demanding need to empower students from kindergarten through high school to learn computer science and be equipped with the computational thinking skills that they need in today's technology driven world. However, introducing computer programming to students can be challenging, especially for those who aren't familiar with the nuances of code. Several popular tools are used in curriculum for K-12 students which utilize interactive and visualization approaches to engage young kids in learning computational concepts. Possibilities of using Augmented Reality (AR) in teaching programming to novices are explored in this work. In this thesis Ogmented, an AR application is designed which includes interactive learning material that covers a range of fundamental Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts. This work aims to exploit the idea to learn abstract concepts via AR by capitalizing the strength of visual-aided and interactive elements. A user study with a group of elementary school students is conducted. It explored how students operated the AR application with the interactive elements and how they wrote codes to solve programming problems. It was observed that students who followed instructions while taking tutorials were successfully able to write fragments of codes in exercise modules. Irrespective of their knowledge about programming, majority of students were able to write executable code snippets for concepts they were taught with use of Ogmented. This shares an initial insight on using AR in classroom to teach abstract programming concepts.Dissertation/ThesisMasters Thesis Computer Science 201

Investigation and development of a tangible technology framework for highly complex and abstract concepts

The ubiquitous integration of computer-supported learning tools within the educational domain has led educators to continuously seek effective technological platforms for teaching and learning. Overcoming the inherent limitations of traditional educational approaches, interactive and tangible computing platforms have consequently garnered increased interest in the pursuit of embedding active learning pedagogies within curricula. However, whilst Tangible User Interface (TUI) systems have been successfully developed to edutain children in various research contexts, TUI architectures have seen limited deployment towards more advanced educational pursuits. Thus, in contrast to current domain research, this study investigates the effectiveness and suitability of adopting TUI systems for enhancing the learning experience of abstract and complex computational science and technology-based concepts within higher educational institutions (HEI)s. Based on the proposal of a contextually apt TUI architecture, the research describes the design and development of eight distinct TUI frameworks embodying innovate interactive paradigms through tabletop peripherals, graphical design factors, and active tangible manipulatives. These computationally coupled design elements are evaluated through summative and formative experimental methodologies for their ability to aid in the effective teaching and learning of diverse threshold concepts experienced in computational science. In addition, through the design and adoption of a technology acceptance model for educational technology (TAM4Edu), the suitability of TUI frameworks in HEI education is empirically evaluated across a myriad of determinants for modelling students’ behavioural intention. In light of the statistically significant results obtained in both academic knowledge gain (μ = 25.8%) and student satisfaction (μ = 12.7%), the study outlines the affordances provided through TUI design for various constituents of active learning theories and modalities. Thus, based on an empirical and pedagogical analyses, a set of design guidelines is defined within this research to direct the effective development of TUI design elements for teaching and learning abstract threshold concepts in HEI adaptations

Explaining multi-threaded task scheduling using tangible user interfaces in higher educational contexts

Endorsing the advantages of computer-based interaction within the educational domain, this study analysis the potential for tangible interactive technology to mitigate the challenges faced by higher educational institutes in explaining abstracted technical concepts. Implemented within a novel within the educational domain, this paper evaluates the efficacy of adopting a tangible user interface (TUI) to aid in the conceptual understanding of multi-threaded task scheduling and programming by undergraduate IT students. Making use of physical object representations, a description is provided for the distinctive development of a collaborative system that allows students to interact with and visualize the scheduling of multiple software threads onto a computer processes. The paper quantitatively studies the usefulness of the proposed TUI system with respect to traditional lectures by deploying the system within a university computing degree. Evaluation analysis of the obtained results highlight a significant improvement in the students' abilities to grasp the abstract and complex notions of multi-threading, thus validating the potential of the proposed study

Towards an interactive mobile lecturing model a higher-level engagement for enhancing learning

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references.The use of mobile devices has grown in recent years and has overtaken the proliferation of desktop computers with their dual affordances of small size and easy connectivity in diverse fields. The usage of these devices has not been widespread in higher education. Mobile technology is a new and promising area of research in higher education. The affordance of mobile technologies has prompted their adoption as a means of enhancing face-to-face (f2f) learning. In this thesis, mobile lecturing is presented as a means of achieving mobile learning. The availability of mobile devices has positively enabled the mobile lecturing process. F2f lectures are recorded and distributed as lecture vodcasts using mobile devices. The vodcasts are generated through Opencast Matterhorn and YouTube. Currently, there are few descriptive models of mobile lecturing that can be used to enhance learning in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). This thesis has several contributions: first I propose a “MOBLEC” theoretical model of mobile lecturing; mobile lecturing represents a new paradigm in mobile learning which enhances students’ engagement with lecture vodcasts to foster deep learning. The second contribution of this thesis is a mobile lecturing tool, MOBILect. MOBILect is developed in HTML5 for cross-platform solution across most mobile devices. This tool enables students to use mobile devices to actively interact with lecture vodcasts and with peers using the vodcast. Finally, I use different case studies to evaluate the MOBLEC model to explore the effectiveness of mobile lecturing in enhancing learning in HEIs. The MOBLEC model is proposed to define mobile lecturing: it describes mobile lecturing as a process resulting from the convergence of mobile technologies, learning engagements and learning interactions. The case studies are evaluative, relying on a group of students to evaluate the MOBLEC by accessing MOBILect. Empirical data was acquired through triangulation method involving focus group discussions, open-ended questions and interviews. All the questions were based on the MOBLEC model. The result of the studies provided positive indicators as to the usefulness and effectiveness of mobile lecturing in engaging students to enhance and foster deep learning. Mobile lecturing, through augmenting and accessing lecture vodcasts on students’ mobile devices anywhere and at any time, with an affordance to comment and respond to comments, has potential for empowering students who might be struggling to understand f2f sessions and the aggregated comments become a valuable educational resource. The thesis also outlines areas for future research work

End-userApplication for Early Forest Fire Detection and Prevention

n this paper, we describe a Web application that has been designed and implemented by Fulda University of Applied Sciences in the context of the ASPires project. The application extends the functionality available to Crisis Management Centers (CMC). Actual readings from sensors installed in the test areas, for example national parks, are made available to CMC personnel, as well as pictures from cameras that are either mounted on stationary observation towers or taken by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in the area of an actual of supposed forest fire. Data are transmitted to the Aspires cloud and delivered swiftly to the Web application via an open interface. Furthermore, fire alarms raised by novel detection algorithms are forwarded automatically to the application. This clearly improves the potential for the early detection of forest fires in rural areas