1,537 research outputs found

    A Cooperative Development System for an Interactive Introductory Programming Course

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    We present a system for a cooperative development of computer programs that was created for the lab sessions of an introductory programming course at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. The system relieved the students from the tedious task of retyping programs developed by the teaching assistant and enabled them to cooperate with the teaching assistant in solving programming problems. We thus made the lab sessions more efficient and interactive and brought them closer to the spirit of active learning approaches

    A Storytelling, Social-Belonging Intervention in an Introductory Computer Science Course

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    A brief social-belonging intervention was tested in two introductory computer science (CS) courses. This intervention used storytelling to help improve a sense of belonging and establish the importance of persistence in the classroom. In previous experiments using this one-time intervention, there were significant results (Walton & Brady, 2017). Recent CS graduates were interviewed about their own struggles and failures in their computer science courses. These interviews were videotaped and edited to follow the storytelling pattern of a struggle, followed by an attribution, and concluding with redemption. Interviewees were selected to represent a diverse group of students including both dominant majority and under-represented minority populations. Storytelling videos (as well as control videos) were viewed by approximately 300 introductory-level students during small group recitation-like sessions. Survey data was collected that measured student’s perception of their own belonging to the field of CS. Additionally, students were asked to respond to mock scenarios, gathering data on their attitudes and beliefs on how much other students belong in CS. This paper focuses on the design and implementation of this type of intervention, including a sample transcript of some of the stories. It also summarizes the preliminary results from testing this out in the summer 2018 term. Quantitative results are presented based on students who saw the storytelling videos and those who did not. Also, open ended responses are summarized to demonstrate the effectiveness of this intervention

    A Cooperative Development System for an Interactive Introductory Programming Course

    Get PDF
    We present a system for a cooperative development of computer programs that was created for the lab sessions of an introductory programming course at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. The system relieved the students from the tedious task of retyping programs developed by the teaching assistant and enabled them to cooperate with the teaching assistant in solving programming problems. We thus made the lab sessions more efficient and interactive and brought them closer to the spirit of active learning approaches

    The Use of Team-Based Learning to Improve Unit Test Scores of Adult Learners in Introduction to Programming Courses in a Small Southwest Georgia University

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    Low success rates in the introduction to programming course at a small southwest Georgia state university have led to a low retention rate in the computer science degree program. The instructional strategy used to teach the course could contribute to the low success rates of the students in the course. Andragogy, the adult learning theory, was used as the theoretical framework for this study. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to determine if differences existed in the numerical unit test scores between students who took introduction to programming using a traditional lecture and lab-based class format and students who took introduction to programming using a team-based learning format. The participants included 52 students who took the introduction to programming course during Spring 2019 and Fall 2019. The students’ unit test scores were analyzed using a series of ANCOVAs. No statistically significant differences were found in the unit test scores between the students who took introduction to programming using a traditional lecture and lab-based format and the students who took introduction to programming using a team-based learning format. By introducing the students to team-based learning earlier in the introduction to programming course, students’ confidence in their ability to make decisions could increase, course withdrawal rates could decrease, and the students’ ability to work in teams could be improved

    Enhancing Collaborative Learning Using Pair Programming: Who Benefits?

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    Incoming university students who have not previously studied computer programming often find it a challenging subject, leading to high failure rates. Research has suggested that the lack of a formalised structure for collaborative learning may be one of the factors responsible for students’ negative impressions of computer science. In this study we investigated whether the use of pair programming in practical laboratories would facilitate peer learning and enhance students’ confidence in their programming ability. Results showed that this intervention was generally well received, although the weaker programmers (as measured by prior exam grades) perceived it to be of more benefit than the stronger ones. Students who reported a lower initial level of enjoyment and confidence in programming were more likely to report learning from the paired intervention, though this did not necessarily lead to enhanced performance. The most frequently reported positive feature of pair programming was that it allowed students to meet more people in the class. Although there was no significant increase in final exam grades for male students, there was a significant increase for female students, suggesting this teaching strategy may have asymmetrical gender benefits

    Persepsi Mahasiswa terhadap Implementasi Metode Pair Programming pada Pembelajaran Mata Kuliah Pemrograman Dasar

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    Pemrograman dasar merupakan mata kuliah yang penting dalam mempelajari ilmu komputer terutama yang terkait dengan perancangan perangkat lunak atau aplikasi. Belajar pemrograman dianggap sebagai tugas yang sulit bagi sejumlah besar mahasiswa. Salah satu petode pembelajaran dalam pemrograman yang dipandang dapat meningkatkan kompetensi mahasiswa dalam belajar pemrograman adalah pair programming. Pair programming dipandang efektif ketika diimplementasikan dalam pembelajaran. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji persepsi mahasiswa dalam penerapan pair programming pada pembelajaran. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan metode studi kasus. Peneliti mengananlisis persepsi mahasiswa dalam implementasi pair programming dalam pembelajaran Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di Universitas Muhammadiyah Sidoarjo (UMSIDA) pada mahasiswa Program Studi Pendidikan Teknologi Informasi (PTI) yang sedang mengampu mata kuliah Pemrograman Dasar. Hasil yang didapat dari penelitian ini adalah mahasiswa menyukai bekerja berpasangan Bersama rekan dalam tugas pemrograman. Mahasiswa juga puas dalam hasil akhir tugas pemrograman yang telah mereka selesaikan dengan menggunakan metode pair programming. Seluruh mahasiswa merasa lebih mudah dalam mengerjakan tugas pemrograman. Selain itu mahasiswa merasa ingin menerapkan metode pair programming dalam tugas pemrograman kedepannya. Secara keseluruhan persepesi mahasiswa pada penerapan metode pair programming memiliki hasil positif. Berdasarkan kajian hasil penelitian ini, metode pair programming akan direkomendasikan untuk diterapkan pada mata kuliah pemrograman dasar.

    Combining distance and face-to-face teaching and learning in spatial computations

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    Retention and passing rates as well as student engagement in computer programming and problem solving units are a major concern in tertiary spatial science courses. A number of initiatives were implemented to improve this. A pilot study reviews the changes made to the teaching and learning environment, including the addition of new resources and modifications to assessments, and investigates their effectiveness. In particular, the study focuses on the differences between students studying in traditional, oncampus mode and distance, e-learning mode. Student results and retention rates from 2009-2011, data from in-lecture clicker response units and two anonymous surveys collected in 2011 were analysed. Early results indicate that grades improved for engaged students but pass rates or grades of the struggling cohort of students did not improve significantly

    Factors influencing the learning of introductory computer programing at the Durban University of Technology.

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    Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Computer programming is an extremely difficult skill to master for students who are novice computer programmers. The preceding assertion is based on reports of high failure rates in introductory computer programming courses offered by tertiary education institutions. This is not just a South African problem but a number of cross-institutional and multi-national studies show that the problem is well known and is common (Grover et al., 2016). The current study investigated the factors influencing the learning of introductory computer programing at Durban University of Technology (DUT). The objectives of the study were to understand the influence of previous experience on students’ learning of introductory computer programming as well as to understand the influence of self-efficacy on students’ learning of introductory computer programming. The study also focused on understanding the influence of the ‘mental model ‘representation of the problem domain on students’ learning of introductory computer programming, and to understand the influence of the ‘mental model’ representation of the problem domain on students’ self-efficacy in the learning of introductory computer programming. The study adopted the quantitative research method to investigate the subject matter. This study embraced a survey research strategy and data collection carried out was over a short period. The study used simple random sampling to select 200 respondents at DUT. Data were collected using questionnaires. Data quality control was ensured by conducting a reliability and validity test on the data collection instrument used in this study. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from DUT. The quantitative data collected were analyzed using the SPSS, version 25.0. The study utilized statistics such as frequency, descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Cronbach’s alpha and Spearman correlation). The overall findings from the study suggested that the self-efficacy level of the research participants was high. The results of the study revealed that there was a moderate positive relationship between self-efficacy and computer programming. Furthermore, it found was that the mental model adopted by students when solving computer programming problems positively influences student performance in computer programming. An outcome of the study is the recommendation that the teaching and learning of computer programming should focus on language structure and the correct mental interpretation of the problem domain so that students could improve their performance

    Using Learning Analytics to Predict Academic Outcomes of First-year Students in Higher Education

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    49 PagesThis annotated bibliography explores scholarly literature published between 2010 and 2016 that addresses the analysis of student-generated data, called learning analytics (Fiaidhi, 2014), with the intention of providing early intervention to promote better academic outcomes. It provides information to higher-education instructors and administrators who are interested in learning about (a) reducing attrition of first year students, (b) when the application of learning analytics produces the best results, and (c) predicting academic outcomes using learning analytics
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