Four approaches to teaching programming

Based on a survey of literature, four different approaches to teaching introductory programming are identified and described. Examples of the practice of each approach are identified representing procedural, visual, and object-oriented programming language paradigms. Each approach is then further analysed, identifying advantages and disadvantages for the student and the teacher. The first approach, code analysis, is analogous to reading before writing, that is, recognising the parts and what they mean. It requires learners to analyse and understand existing code prior to producing their own. An alternative is the building blocks approach, analogous to learning vocabulary, nouns and verbs, before constructing sentences. A third approach is identified as simple units in which learners master solutions to small problems before applying the learned logic to more complex problems. The final approach, full systems, is analogous to learning a foreign language by immersion whereby learners design a solution to a non-trivial problem and the programming concepts and language constructs are introduced only when the solution to the problem requires their application. The conclusion asserts that competency in programming cannot be achieved without mastering each of the approaches, at least to some extent. Use of the approaches in combination could provide novice programmers with the opportunities to acquire a full range of knowledge, understanding, and skills. Several orders for presenting the approaches in the classroom are proposed and analysed reflecting the needs of the learners and teachers. Further research is needed to better understand these and other approaches to teaching programming, not in terms of learner outcomes, but in terms of teachers’ actions and techniques employed to facilitate the construction of new knowledge by the learners. Effective classroom teaching practices could be informed by further investigations into the effect on progression of different toolset choices and combinations of teaching approache

When Failure Is Not an Option: Designing Competency-Based Pathways for Next Generation Learning

Proposes an online learning-assisted model in which students advance by demonstrating mastery of subjects based on clear, measurable objectives and meaningful assessments. Examines innovation drivers, challenges, and philanthropic opportunities

Russian perspectives of online learning technologies in higher education: An empirical study of a MOOC

There has been a rapid growth of massive open online courses (MOOCs) in the global education market in the last decade. Online learning technologies are becoming increasingly widespread in the non-formal education sector and in higher and supplementary vocational education. The use of MOOCs in Russia to support the delivery of educational programmes at university level opens opportunities in terms of expanding the educational choice for students, the development of virtual academic mobility, reduction in the cost of educational services, and improvement in the accessibility of education. However, the effectiveness of using different online learning technologies at university level, and the consequences of their widespread adoption, has not been sufficiently explored. In this research study, a comparative analysis is made of the effects of different online learning models on student educational outcomes in a university setting. A study was undertaken in which different groups of students at the Ural Federal University, Russia, were encouraged to study technical and humanities disciplines using a framework of blended learning, and online learning with tutoring support. The results of the study were compared with the results of a reference (control) group of students who studied the same disciplines in a traditionally taught model. It was found that both models (blended and online) of MOOC implementation demonstrated greater learning gains, in comparison with the traditional model. For engineering and technical disciplines, there was no statistically significant difference between blended or online learning technologies. For the humanities discipline, where the communicative component of the learning process was significant, the blended learning technology produced better results. Conclusions of this empirical research may be useful for heads of educational organizations and teachers in helping them to make strategic decisions about the modernization of university courses by increasing the effectiveness of the implementation of new educational technologies. The results of this research project will be used for implementing the State Priority Project, ‘The Modern Digital Educational Environment of the Russian Federation’

Threshold concepts: Impacts on teaching and learning at tertiary level

This project explored teaching and learning of hard-to-learn threshold concepts in first-year English, an electrical engineering course, leadership courses, and in doctoral writing. The project was envisioned to produce disciplinary case studies that lecturers could use to reflect on and refine their curriculum and pedagogy, thereby contributing to discussion about the relationship between theory and methodology in higher education research (Shay, Ashwin, & Case, 2009). A team of seven academics investigated lecturers’ awareness and emergent knowledge of threshold concepts and associated pedagogies and how such pedagogies can afford opportunities for learning. As part of this examination the lecturers also explored the role of threshold concept theory in designing curricula and sought to find the commonalities in threshold concepts and their teaching and learning across the four disciplines. The research highlights new ways of teaching threshold concepts to help students learn concepts that are fundamental to the disciplines they are studying and expand their educational experiences. Given that much of the international research in this field focuses on the identification of threshold concepts and debates their characteristics (Barradell, 2013; Flanagan, 2014; Knight, Callaghan, Baldock, & Meyer, 2013), our exploration of what happens when lecturers use threshold concept theory to re-envision their curriculum and teaching helps to address a gap within the field. By addressing an important theoretical and practical approach the project makes a considerable contribution to teaching and learning at the tertiary level in general and to each discipline in particular

Розв’язування задач як основа математичної підготовки майбутніх інженерів

The results of the study of the problem of solving mathematical tasks in the preparation of future engineers are revealed. The urgency and importance of the topic is substantiated by the need of Ukrainian enterprises in qualified specialists of engineering specialties and the need of the society to ensure high quality of education. An approach to task solving in higher mathematics is theoretically developed. The peculiarities of its practical implementa-tion are clarified. Guidelines and steps for solving problems are explained. Rules for verifying resolved tasks are produced. The errors that future engi-neers make when solving tasks are classified. The necessity of making changes to the higher mathematics syllabus at the National Technical University "Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute" and the introduction of laboratory works using Mathcad, Mathlab, Scilab etc. are substantiated.Статтю присвячено найголовнішому аспекту математичної підготовки майбутніх інженерів – розв’язуванню задач. Теоретично розроблено підхід до розв’язування задач з вищої математики. Розкрито особливості його практичної реалізації. Виявлено методичні рекомендації та етапи розв’язування задач. Висвітлено правила перевірки розв’язаних задач. Класифіковано помилки, яких припускаються майбутні інженери під час розв’язання задач. Досліджено структуру практичного заняття для ефективного вирішення поставленої проблеми. Рекомендовано схему самоаналізу викладачем проведеного заняття. Підтверджено високий результат розв’язання математичних задач на студактивних заняттях

Issues of shaping the students’ professional and terminological competence in science area of expertise in the sustainable development era

The paper deals with the problem of future biology teachers’ vocational preparation process and shaping in them of those capacities that contribute to the conservation and enhancement of our planet’s biodiversity as a reflection of the leading sustainable development goals of society. Such personality traits are viewed through the prism of forming the future biology teachers’ professional and terminological competence. The main aspects and categories that characterize the professional and terminological competence of future biology teachers, including terminology, nomenclature, term, nomen and term element, have been explained. The criteria and stages of shaping the future biology teachers’ professional and terminological competence during the vocational training process have been fixed. Methods, techniques, technologies, guiding principles and forms of staged work on the forming of an active terminological dictionary of students have been described and specified. The content of the distant special course “Latin. Botanical Terminology”, which provides training for future teachers to study the professional subjects and to understand of international scientific terminology, has been presented. It is concluded that the proper level of formation of the future biology teachers’ professional and terminological competence will eventually ensure the qualitative preparation of pupils for life in a sustainable development era

Педагогические условия обучения иностранным языкам студентов средних и высших педагогических учебных заведений: прошлое и современность

У статті розглядаються педагогічні умови навчання іноземних мов у педагогічних училищах другої половини ХХ ст. та у сучасних закладах педагогічної освіти України. Доведено, що досліджуваний історичний період був багатим на історичні події, які вплинули на пошук і створення нових методів навчання молоді іноземної мови, узагальнення та систематизацію досягнень вчених, викладачів, методистів і лінгвістів. Описано особливості розвитку методів навчання іноземної мови відповідно до періодів іншомовної підготовки студентів закладів педагогічної освіти. Викладання іноземних мов у сучасному світі є невід’ємною частиною професійної підготовки фахівців. Навчання іноземної мови починається в дитячому садку і продовжується в інших типах навчальних закладів. Рівень іноземної мови, який студент отримує у школі, є визначальним, оскільки містить навички іншомовної діяльності (слухання, говоріння,читання, письмо). Ефективність залежить від методики викладача та його вміння використовувати сучасні методи в контексті вирішення навчальних завдань з іноземної мови. Сьогодні в Україні відбуваються зміни в системі підготовки вчителів іноземних мов, підвищення кваліфікації викладачів, впровадження міжнародних стандартів оцінювання знань з іноземної мови, впровадження нових підходів і методів. На основі аналізу науково-педагогічної літе-ратури було визначено складові частини поняття «педагогічні умови» в контексті навчання іноземних мов: загальні та спеціальні педагогічні умови. До загальних педагогічних умов, що ґрунтуються на принципах педагогічного процесу, належать: цілеспрямованість педагогічного процесу, науковість змісту навчання та виховання, систематичність і послідовність, свідомість, активність, творчість студентів у педагогічному процесі, вибір оптимальних методів,форм, засобів навчання та виховання та ін.До спеціальних едагогічних умов належать умови, необхідні для набуття знань і вмінь з окремих предметів з урахуванням особливостей їх навчання.The article deals with the pedagogical conditions of teaching foreign languages in the pedagogical schools and pedagogical educational establishments of Ukraine in the second half of the twentieth century and modern ones. It is proved that the studied historical period was rich in historical events that influenced the search and creation of new methods of teaching foreign language of young people, generalization and systematization of the existing achievements of scientists, teachers, methodologists and linguists. We described the features of methods for development of foreign language skills in accordance with the selected stages of teaching foreign languages. The teaching of foreign languages in the modern world is an integral part of the professional training of specialists. Foreign language training begins at the kindergarten and continues in other types of educational institutions. The level of foreign language which the student receives at school is decisive, because it containsis skills of foreign language activities (listening, speaking, reading, writing). The effectiveness depends on the methodology of the teacher and his ability to use mod ern methods in the context of solving the educational tasks of foreign language training of young people.Today in Ukraine there are changes in the system of preparation of teachers of foreign languages, the improvement of the skills of teachers, the introduction of international standards for the assessment of foreign language knowledge, the implementation of new approaches and methods. On the basis of the analysis of scientific and pedagogical literature, the definition of the concept of «pedagogical conditions» was collected by Ukrainian and foreign scholars. We distinguish general and special pedagogical conditions of teaching foreign languages. The general pedagogical conditions that are based on the principles of thepedagogical process include: the purposefulness of the pedagogical process, the scientific contentof education and education, the systematic and consistency, consciousness, activity, the creativity of students in the pedagogical process, the choice of optimal methods, forms, means of education and education, and others. Special pedagogical conditions include the conditions necessary for acquiring knowledge and skills from individual subjects, taking into account the peculiarities of their learning.В статье рассматриваются педагогические условия обучения иностранным языкам в педагогических училищах второй половины ХХ в. и в современных учреждениях педагогического образования Украины. Доказано, что исследуемый исторический период был богатым на исторические события, которые повлияли на поиск и создание новых методов обучения молодежи иностранного языка, обобщение и систематизацию достижений ученых, преподавателей, методистов и лингвистов. Описаны особенности развития методов обучения иностранному языку в соответствии с периодами иноязычной подготовки студентов заведений педагогического образования.На основе анализа научно-педагогической литературы были определены составные части понятия «педагогические условия» в контексте обучения иностранным языкам: общие и специальные педагогические условия

The Needs Analysis of Training for Elementary School Teachers (Prior Analysis to the Research of Professional and Pedagogical Competencies Development in Civics Education)

ABSTRACT Purpose–Research on teacher training needs analysis in order to study the development of pedagogical and professional elementary school teachers competencies in Civic education aims to describe the level of pedagogical and professional’ elementary school teachers competencies gap and to describe the elementary teacher training needs in order to develop pedagogical and professional deficit. Method–This study is a descriptive research. The study sites spread across the elementary school teachers in 8 subdistricts which are Suruh, Bancak, Bringin, Pabelan, Tengaran, Kaliwungu, Getasan and Ambarawa. The sample consists of 72 teachers, taken by purposive clusters sampling. Data collection technique is using self-evaluation in the form of questionnaire that has been tested for the validity and reliability. Analysis showed that the corrected item-total correlation is 0,794 for the highest and 0,221 for the lowest. Reliability test results showed that the alpha reliability coefficient is 0.945. Moreover, the techniques of data analysis are using descriptive statistical analysis and gap analysis. Findings –The result of the analysis shows that there are1) the gap of teachers’ pedagogic competency is 23.07 %, 2) the gap of teachers professional competency is 30 % , dan 3) the gap of pedagogic and professional competencies includes;(a) developing the curriculum which is related to Civics Education, (b) conducting assesment and evaluation of the process and result of learning process, (c) using the result of assesment and evaluation for the sake of teaching and learning, (d) Doing refective action (Class Action Research) to enhance teaching and learning process, (e) mastering the concept and principle of protection and development of Human Rights and also fair and proper law enforcement, (f) developing the material of civics education creatively, (g) developing sustainable profesionalism through reflective action, (h) using information technology and communication for self developing action. Significance–This research discusses about the gap of elementary school teachers’ competencies, spesifically civics education. Gap occurs when there is discrepancy between ideal competencies and empirical competencies of teachers’ performance. The results of this research are useful for designing training in teachers’ competence