Improving the Quality of Technology-Enhanced Learning for Computer Programming Courses

Teaching computing courses is a major challenge for the majority of lecturers in Libyan higher learning institutions. These courses contain numerous abstract concepts that cannot be easily explained using traditional educational methods. This paper describes the rationale, design, development and implementation stages of an e-learning package (including multimedia resources such as simulations, animations, and videos) using the ASSURE model. This training package can be used by students before they attend practical computer lab sessions, preparing them by developing technical skills and applying concepts and theories presented in lecture through supplementary study and exercises

Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Programs in Data Science

The Park City Math Institute (PCMI) 2016 Summer Undergraduate Faculty Program met for the purpose of composing guidelines for undergraduate programs in Data Science. The group consisted of 25 undergraduate faculty from a variety of institutions in the U.S., primarily from the disciplines of mathematics, statistics and computer science. These guidelines are meant to provide some structure for institutions planning for or revising a major in Data Science

Integrating Data Science into a General Education Information Technology Course: An Approach to Developing Data Savvy Undergraduates

The National Academies recommend academic institutions foster a basic understanding of data science in all undergraduates. However, data science education is not currently a graduation requirement at most colleges and universities. As a result, many graduates lack even basic knowledge of data science. To address the shortfall, academic institutions should incorporate introductory data science into general education courses. A general education IT course provides a unique opportunity to integrate data science education. Modules covering databases, spreadsheets, and presentation software, already present in many survey IT courses, teach concepts and skills needed for data science. As a result, a survey IT course can provide comprehensive introductory data science education by adding a data science module focused on modeling and evaluation, two key steps in the data science process. The module should use data science software for application, avoiding the complexities of programming and advanced math, while enabling an emphasis on conceptual understanding. We implemented a course built around these ideas and found that the course helps develop data savvy in students

Educational RTOS Development Board

The objective of this project was to facilitate student learning of embedded systems design. At WPI, students in ECE3849 must combine hardware and software concepts to develop real-time embedded systems in labs, a process which often frustrates students. This project identified ways to engage students in embedded systems design by 1) identifying ECE3849’s educational objectives 2) designing a versatile peripheral board to support new labs, 3) synthesizing student feedback on their frustrations and 4) developing targeted documentation for students to help alleviate their frustrations in labs. My development board, documentation, and critical analysis of student feedback provide recommendations for instructors to help future offerings of ECE3849 challenge students to design embedded systems

Introductory programming: a systematic literature review

As computing becomes a mainstream discipline embedded in the school curriculum and acts as an enabler for an increasing range of academic disciplines in higher education, the literature on introductory programming is growing. Although there have been several reviews that focus on specific aspects of introductory programming, there has been no broad overview of the literature exploring recent trends across the breadth of introductory programming. This paper is the report of an ITiCSE working group that conducted a systematic review in order to gain an overview of the introductory programming literature. Partitioning the literature into papers addressing the student, teaching, the curriculum, and assessment, we explore trends, highlight advances in knowledge over the past 15 years, and indicate possible directions for future research

LIKES: Educating the Next Generation of Knowledge Society Builders

Although information technology (IT) is used extensively in the education of all disciplines, the computing-related fields are facing tremendous challenges, such as declining student enrollment and a lack of representation from minorities and women. Strengthening the connection between computing and other fields could help instructors to integrate IT in their teaching and to support the learning of students, who will become the next generation of Knowledge Society builders. Presently, this connection is weak due to the lack of interdisciplinary collaboration and mutual understanding among faculty in computing and other fields. Our ongoing effort entitled “Living in the KnowlEdge Society (LIKES) Community Building Project” aims to build a community that will define a socially-relevant way to make systemic changes in how computing and IT concepts are taught and applied in both computing and other fields. In this paper, we review previous efforts in this area and summarize our project’s achievements and lessons learned. We also provide recommendations on integrating IT into other curricula and on strengthening interdisciplinary collaborations

Supporting Collaboration in Introductory Programming Classes Taught in Hybrid Mode: A Participatory Design Study

Hybrid learning modalities, where learners can attend a course in-person or remotely, have gained particular significance in post-pandemic educational settings. In introductory programming courses, novices' learning behaviour in the collaborative context of classrooms differs in hybrid mode from that of a traditional setting. Reflections from conducting an introductory programming course in hybrid mode led us to recognise the need for re-designing programming tools to support students' collaborative learning practices. We conducted a participatory design study with nine students, directly engaging them in design to understand their interaction needs in hybrid pedagogical setups to enable effective collaboration during learning. Our findings first highlighted the difficulties that learners face in hybrid modes. The results then revealed learners' preferences for design functionalities to enable collective notions, communication, autonomy, and regulation. Based on our findings, we discuss design principles and implications to inform the future design of collaborative programming environments for hybrid modes