Contemporary developments in teaching and learning introductory programming: Towards a research proposal

The teaching and learning of introductory programming in tertiary institutions is problematic. Failure rates are high and the inability of students to complete small programming tasks at the completion of introductory units is not unusual. The literature on teaching programming contains many examples of changes in teaching strategies and curricula that have been implemented in an effort to reduce failure rates. This paper analyses contemporary research into the area, and summarises developments in the teaching of introductory programming. It also focuses on areas for future research which will potentially lead to improvements in both the teaching and learning of introductory programming. A graphical representation of the issues from the literature that are covered in the document is provided in the introduction

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

What Should a Psychiatrist Know About Genetics? Review and Recommendations From the Residency Education Committee of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics.

The International Society of Psychiatric Genetics (ISPG) created a Residency Education Committee with the purpose of identifying key genetic knowledge that should be taught in psychiatric training programs. Thirteen committee members were appointed by the ISPG Board of Directors, based on varied training, expertise, gender, and national origin. The Committee has met quarterly for the past 2 years, with periodic reports to the Board and to the members of the Society. The information summarized includes the existing literature in the field of psychiatric genetics and the output of ongoing large genomics consortia. An outline of clinically relevant areas of genetic knowledge was developed, circulated, and approved. This document was expanded and annotated with appropriate references, and the manuscript was developed. Specific information regarding the contribution of common and rare genetic variants to major psychiatric disorders and treatment response is now available. Current challenges include the following: (1) Genetic testing is recommended in the evaluation of autism and intellectual disability, but its use is limited in current clinical practice. (2) Commercial pharmacogenomic testing is widely available, but its utility has not yet been clearly established. (3) Other methods, such as whole exome and whole genome sequencing, will soon be clinically applicable. The need for informed genetic counseling in psychiatry is greater than ever before, knowledge in the field is rapidly growing, and genetic education should become an integral part of psychiatric training

Developing the conditions for education for citizenship in higher education (CiCe network report)

The key questions surrounding education for citizenship in higher education are what is education for, what are universities for, and what values should education systems aim to develop in young people? These raise complex issues. As these are such challenging questions and asthere is little agreement about them, this raises for the public,students, academics and educationists, as many issues as definitiveanswers. Nearly all of us who chose education as a career did so tomake a difference; not just degree results, but to the lives andaspirations of young people and society as a whole. Thus, althoughwe champion the development of critical abilities, the skills ofenquiry and questioning, activity based approaches to learning andthe notion of rights as something to be cherished, this is not in itselfmerely a chronicle. It is to suggest that a mixture of creativecontent, ethos and a participatory, consultative, democratic approachin the framework of macro and micro improvements can lead tobetter, deeper learning and crucially a fairer and more just society

An evaluation of a professional learning network for computer science teachers

This paper describes and evaluates aspects of a professional development programme for existing CS teachers in secondary schools (PLAN C) which was designed to support teachers at a time of substantial curricular change. The paper’s particular focus is on the formation of a teacher professional development network across several hundred teachers and a wide geographical area. Evidence from a series of observations and teacher surveys over a two-year period is analysed with respect to the project’s programme theory in order to illustrate not only whether it worked as intended, by why. Results indicate that the PLAN C design has been successful in increasing teachers’ professional confidence and appears to have catalysed powerful change in attitudes to learning. Presentation of challenging pedagogical content knowledge and conceptual frameworks, high-quality teacher-led professional dialogue, along with the space for reflection and classroom trials, triggered examination of the teachers’ own current practices

Early Music Education as a Tool for Inclusion and Respect for Diversity. Study Paper for the Bernard van Leer Foundation

This report explores the topic of using music education activities as a way to address inclusion and respect for diversity with children. It is intended to inform the development of appropriate activities and indicators for the Bernard van Leer Foundation’s Social inclusion and respect for diversity issue area, particularly those which address the use of music in projects with young children. The study begins with an overview of musical development from prenatal to eight years of age and provides a review of the significant processes and outcomes of music education activities aimed at bringing together children in divided contexts. It is apparent that cross-community development of music skills has been and continues to be an effective means of addressing prejudice with young people. The study includes the analysis of interviews with 16 experienced practitioners in Northern Ireland regarding ways in which music plays a part in facilitating respect and inclusion with young people, and an analysis of five children’s focus groups. It concludes with recommendations to bring this knowledge to the early childhood and lower primary school sector and offers some questions for further study

Motivation, Design, and Ubiquity: A Discussion of Research Ethics and Computer Science

Modern society is permeated with computers, and the software that controls them can have latent, long-term, and immediate effects that reach far beyond the actual users of these systems. This places researchers in Computer Science and Software Engineering in a critical position of influence and responsibility, more than any other field because computer systems are vital research tools for other disciplines. This essay presents several key ethical concerns and responsibilities relating to research in computing. The goal is to promote awareness and discussion of ethical issues among computer science researchers. A hypothetical case study is provided, along with questions for reflection and discussion.Comment: Written as central essay for the Computer Science module of the LANGURE model curriculum in Research Ethic