Learning Dimensions: Lessons from Field Studies

In this paper, we describe work to investigate the creation of engaging programming learning experiences. Background research informed the design of four fieldwork studies involving a range of age groups to explore how programming tasks could best be framed to motivate learners. Our empirical findings from these four studies, described here, contributed to the design of a set of programming "Learning Dimensions" (LDs). The LDs provide educators with insights to support key design decisions for the creation of engaging programming learning experiences. This paper describes the background to the identification of these LDs and how they could address the design and delivery of highly engaging programming learning tasks. A web application has been authored to support educators in the application of the LDs to their lesson design

Utilising pair programming to enhance the performance of slow-paced students on introductory programming

Due to its high failure rate, Introductory Programming has become a main concern. One of the main issues is the incapability of slow-paced students to cope up with given programming materials. This paper proposes a learning technique which utilises pair programming to help slow-paced students on Introductory Programming; each slow-paced student is paired with a fast-paced student and the latter is encouraged to teach the former as a part of grading system. An evaluation regarding that technique has been conducted on three undergraduate classes from an Indonesian university for the second semester of 2018. According to the evaluation, the use of pair programming may help both slow-paced and fast-paced students. Nevertheless, it may not significantly affect individual academic performancePeer Reviewe

Increasing Student Performance Through the Use of Web Services in Introductory Programming Classrooms: Results from a Series of Quasi-Experiments

An introduction to programming course can be a challenge for both students and instructors. This paper describes a study that introduced Web services (WS) and Service-Oriented Architecture in Information Systems 1 (IS 1) and Computer Science 1 (CS 1) programming courses over a two-year period. WS were used as an instruction tool based on their increased use in industry as well as their ability to provide a real world feel to student programming activities. The paper includes an example WS teaching module and a proposed implementation model for future studies based on lessons learned from the current experiment. The study was successful in showing a significant increase in student test performance for WS-taught courses over standard-taught courses

Mixed Active-Traditional Learning versus Team-Based Learning: A Comparative Study for a Freshman Programming Course

A comparative study to show the effectiveness of Team-Based Learning (TBL) and Mixed Active-Traditional (MATL) learning for an introductory programming course at Iowa State University is discussed in this paper. The introductory programming C course was offered to 46 students using TBL and 50 students using MATL, led by two different instructors who use the same course schedule and textbook. The students on both courses received the same number of lectures/labs during the semester. To be able to assess the two methodologies, the instructors deliver the same course contents. Still, they differ with the course delivery method. MATL utilizes maximum class time for traditional lectures with class activities, and the TBL utilizes the maximum class time for interactive group activities with mini-lectures. Homework, reading assignments, and the final exam results are compared to check both teaching methods\u27 overall effectiveness. Although students were satisfied with both teaching methods, students\u27 performances were better in TBL than the MATL

TBL aplicado a la Ingeniería de Software

El aprendizaje basado en equipos (TBL) es un enfoque pedagógico colaborativo que estructura la planificación, ejecución y evaluación de asignaturas con el fin de mejorar el compromiso de los estudiantes y la calidad del aprendizaje, y que puede clasificarse dentro del conjunto de los métodos de clase invertida1. TBL pone énfasis en las responsabilidades que el alumno debe asumir con respecto a su aprendizaje. La aplicación de TBL convierte el aula en un entorno dinámico que favorece el aprendizaje de los alumnos, y delega en el docente la ampliación de los temas. Esta metodología se puso en práctica primero en la Universidad ORT del Uruguay, en dos asignaturas de la titulación de Ingeniería de Software. Los resultados de esta experiencia fueron luego transferidos a la Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche, donde se aplicó TBL a una asignatura del Grado en Ingeniería Informática, obteniendo niveles similares de aceptación entre los alumnos. En este trabajo se describe la experiencia de la adaptación de TBL a asignaturas de Ingeniería de Software y los resultados obtenidos en ambas universidades.Team Based Learning (TBL) is a collaborative pedagogical approach that structures the planning, execution and evaluation of courses with the purposes of enhancing student engagement and improving the quality of learning, and can be classified within the set of flipped-classroom methods. TBL emphasizes the responsibilities that the student must assume regarding his/her learning. The application of TBL turns the classroom into a dynamic environment that favors learning, and delegates to the teacher the extension of the subjects. This methodology was first implemented at ORT University in Uruguay, in two subjects of the degree of Software Engineering. The results of this experiment were then transferred to the Miguel Hernández University in Elche, where TBL was applied to a subject in the Degree in Computer Engineering, obtaining similar levels of acceptance among students. This paper describes the experience of the adaptation of TBL to subjects of Software Engineering and the results obtained in both universities.Este trabajo ha contado con una ayuda del Programa de Innovación Educativa Universitaria (PIEU) de la Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche (España)

Oktatási reform hatékonyságának vizsgálata – Tantárgyak nehézségi elemzése IRT-modell segítségével programtervező informatikus hallgatók körében

A felsőoktatási képzéseken megjelenő nagyarányú (általánosságban véve 30–40%-os) hallgatói lemorzso- lódás súlyos problémákat okoz. Különösen érintett az informatikaoktatás, a legtöbb ország alapképzésének első két féléve a legkritikusabb: az intézmények elveszíthetik hallgatóik 60%-át. Vizsgálatunk célja annak feltárása, hogy a lemorzsolódás megelőzése érdekében bevezetett oktatási reform 2016 óta milyen mér- tékben befolyásolja a hallgatók egyetemen történő bennmaradását. Programtervező informatikus hallgatók tanulmányi eredményeinek mintáját elemeztük 2010 és 2017 között az IRT-modell segítségével. A vizsgálatban 3673 egyetemi hallgató adatai szerepelnek. Eredményeink szerint az oktatási reform után a legtöbb tantárgy teljesíthetőbbé vált, és az alacsonyabb képességű hallgatók is megpróbáltak vizsgát tenni. A matematikai témájú tantárgyak alacsonyabb nehézségi szinten is teljesíthetővé váltak, illetve alacsonyabb képességszintű hallgatók is vállalták a vizsgák megpróbálását, nem látták eleve kudarcnak a próbálkozást. A programozási/szakmai tárgyak nehezebbekké, komolyabb tár- gyakká váltak, és megőrizték differenciálóképességüket. A hallgatók egyetemi előrehaladását segítő oktatási reform lehetővé tette a hallgatók tanulmányi teljesítményének javulását, ami arra enged következtetni, hogy érdemes beavatkozásokat eszközölni az egyes szakok képzési rendszerében

Cooperative Thinking: analyzing a new framework for software engineering education

Computational Thinking (CT) and Agile Values (AV) focus respectively on the individual capability to think algorithmically, and on the principles of collaborative software development. Although these two dimensions of software engineering education complement each other, very few studies explored their interaction. In this paper we use an exploratory Structural Equation Modeling technique to introduce and analyze Cooperative Thinking (CooT), a model of team-based computational problem solving. We ground our model on the existing literature and validate it through Partial Least Square modeling. Cooperative Thinking is new competence which aim is to support cooperative problem solving of technical contents suitable to deal with complex software engineering problems. This article suggests to tackle the CooT construct as an education goal, to train students of software development to improve both their individual and teaming performances