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

The Importance of Emphasizing Individual Learning in the “Collaborative Learning Era”

In this paper we describe an instructional tactic of individually assigned homework that promotes and strengthens individual learning processes. We claim that current emphasis on the benefits of collaborative learning belittles the importance of individual learning processes and reduces the opportunities to require and assess individual learning within IS education. In our study, which used specially designed individual assignments, we succeeded in dramatically reducing the failure rate in two courses in two consecutive semesters. We present findings from additional research tools that support and explain the change we found in the failure rate when the tactic of the individually assigned homework was used. We conclude with some implications of the suggested tactic including dealing with academic dishonesty and lowering the dropout rate in IS education

Style features in the programming process which can help indicate plagiarism

[EN] In the new situation, where more and more final programming assignments are performed outside the classroom, it is necessary to pay more attention to the possibilities of understanding whether a student has created the solution on their own. To do this, it is possible to use a programming environment that logs user actions. One such environment is Thonny, which also allows the programming process to be replayed. The aim of this study is to identify style features of different learners, based on solution logs of introductory programming courses, and to explore how permanent these features are and can these indicate whether learners have solved the tasks without external aids. It can be said that non-programming style features, like the order of writing brackets or quotation marks, are more permanent and can be used to detect plagiarism. However, programming style features, such as the use of variable names or increment, are very variable between courses, and students participating in introductory courses do not have an established style. They are greatly influenced by the style features of teaching materials and solutions of sample tasks. Therefore, programming style features cannot be used to automatically check if a student has solved a task on their own.Meier, H.; Lepp, M. (2021). Style features in the programming process which can help indicate plagiarism. En 7th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'21). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 623-630. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd21.2021.13072OCS62363

Plagiarism and Programming: A Survey of Student Attitudes

This paper examines student attitudes towards a number of behaviors which range from acceptable means of seeking help on assignments to unacceptable behaviors such as copying from another student or paying someone to complete an assignment. Attitudes regarding such behaviors are compared based on the type of assignment (programming assignment, written essay, math problems). Findings indicate that students do perceive that there are differences in the acceptability of behaviors depending on assignment type. Further, the study examines the effect of an education campaign designed to increase student awareness as to which behaviors are permitted. Results suggest that faculty efforts to clarify expectations do result in a change in student attitudes regarding the acceptability of certain behaviors

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

Developing Applications to Automatically Grade Introductory Visual Basic Courses

There are many unique challenges associated with introductory programming courses. For novice programmers, the challenges of their first programming class can lead to a great deal of stress and frustration. Regular programming assignments is often key to developing an understanding of best practices and the coding process. Students need practice with these new concepts to reinforce the underlying principles. Providing timely and consistent feedback on these assignments can be a challenge for instructors, particularly in large classes. Plagiarism is also a concern. Unfortunately traditional tools are not well suited to introductory courses. This paper describes how AppGrader, a static code assessment tool can be used to address the challenges of an introductory programming class. The tool assesses student’s understanding and application of programming fundaments as defined in the current ACM/IEEE Information Technology Curriculum Guidelines. Results from a bench test and directions for future research are provided

Academic Integrity Resources - links and guides

an online tutorial, a pdf version, a powerpoint presentation, links to regulations

Criminal intent or cognitive dissonance: how does student self plagiarism fit into academic integrity?

The discourse of plagiarism is speckled with punitive terms not out of place in a police officer's notes: detection, prevention, misconduct, rules, regulations, conventions, transgression, consequences, deter, trap, etc. This crime and punishment paradigm tends to be the norm in academic settings. The learning and teaching paradigm assumes that students are not filled with criminal intent, but rather are confused by the novel academic culture and its values. The discourse of learning and teaching includes: development, guidance, acknowledge, scholarly practice, communicate, familiarity, culture. Depending on the paradigm adopted, universities, teachers, and students will either focus on policies, punishments, and ways to cheat the system or on program design, assessments, and assimilating the values of academia. Self plagiarism is a pivotal issue that polarises these two paradigms. Viewed from a crime and punishment paradigm, self plagiarism is an intentional act of evading the required workload for a course by re-using previous work. Within a learning and teaching paradigm, self plagiarism is an oxymoron. We would like to explore the differences between these two paradigms by using self plagiarism as a focal point

Programming in a Pandemic: Attaining Academic Integrity in Online Coding Courses

The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has necessitated a transition to online courses, prompting widespread consequences for higher education. Ensuring academic integrity poses a serious concern in these circumstances. Drawn from my experiences teaching online programming courses, I discuss the considerable and manifold flaws in our current anti-cheating measures. I propose a series of strategies that instructors can pursue to make assessments more resilient to cheating. Although there is no panacea, we must begin by acknowledging the problem facing us and discussing earnestly how we can refortify academic integrity

Project- and Group-Based Learning of Junior Writing in Biology

Writing in Biology, part of the Junior Writing Program, is inherently a project-based learning course. After a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Teacher Education Collaborative (STEMTEC) workshop, the course was thoroughly revised. Each of six projects was modified to increase student-active and group participation. Base groups with a balanced experience constitution are established using voluntary ordering and random assignment. A walk-around during the initial meeting serves to establish bonding within the base groups. Random groups are used within exercises to stimulate student interaction and familiarity with ad hoc group cooperation. Digital images of, and by, students are used to encourage student interaction and name recognition. A website with the entire course plan is available at an archival site to complement and help elucidate the course