48 research outputs found

    NuzzleBug: Debugging Block-Based Programs in Scratch

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    While professional integrated programming environments support developers with advanced debugging functionality, block-based programming environments for young learners often provide no support for debugging at all, thus inhibiting debugging and preventing debugging education. In this paper we introduce NuzzleBug, an extension of the popular block-based programming environment Scratch that provides the missing debugging support. NuzzleBug allows controlling the executions of Scratch programs with classical debugging functionality such as stepping and breakpoints, and it is an omniscient debugger that also allows reverse stepping. To support learners in deriving hypotheses that guide debugging, NuzzleBug is an interrogative debugger that enables to ask questions about executions and provides answers explaining the behavior in question. In order to evaluate NuzzleBug, we survey the opinions of teachers, and study the effects on learners in terms of debugging effectiveness and efficiency. We find that teachers consider NuzzleBug to be useful, and children can use it to debug faulty programs effectively. However, systematic debugging requires dedicated training, and even when NuzzleBug can provide correct answers learners may require further help to comprehend faults and necessary fixes, thus calling for further research on improving debugging techniques and the information they provide.Comment: To appear at the 2024 IEEE/ACM 46th International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE '24), April 14--20, 2024, Lisbon, Portuga

    Purpose-first Programming: A Programming Learning Approach for Learners Who Care Most About What Code Achieves

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    Introductory programming courses typically focus on building generalizable programming knowledge by focusing on a language’s syntax and semantics. Assignments often involve “code tracing” problems, where students perform close tracking of code’s execution, typically in the context of ‘toy’ problems. “Reading-first” approaches propose that code tracing should be taught early to novice programmers, even before they have the opportunity to write code. However, many learners do not perform code tracing, even in situations when it is helpful for other students. To learn more, I talked to novice programmers about their decisions to trace and not trace code. Through these studies, I identified both cognitive and affective factors related to learners’ motivation to trace. My research found that tracing activities can create a “perfect storm” for discouraging learners from completing them: they require high cognitive load, leading to a low expectation of success, while also being disconnected from meaningful code, resulting in low value for the task. These findings suggest that a new learning approach, where novices quickly and easily create or understand useful code without the need for deep knowledge of semantics, may lead to higher engagement. Many learners may not care about exactly how a programming language works, but they do care about what code can achieve for them. I drew on cognitive science and theories of motivation to describe a “purpose-first” programming pedagogy that supports novices in learning common code patterns in a particular domain. I developed a proof-of-concept ”purpose-first” programming curriculum using this method and evaluated it with non-major novice programmers who had a variety of future goals. Participants were able to complete scaffolded code writing, debugging, and explanation activities in a new domain (web scraping with BeautifulSoup) after a half hour of instruction. An analysis of the participants’ thinkalouds provided evidence the learners were thinking in terms of the patterns and goals that they learned with in the purpose-first curriculum. Overall, I found that these novices were motivated to continue learning with purpose-first programming. I found that these novices felt successful during purpose-first programming because they could understand and complete tasks. Novices perceived a lower cognitive load on purpose-first programming activities than many other typical learning activities, because, in their view, plans helped them apply knowledge and focus only on the most relevant information. Participants felt that what they were learning was applicable, and that the curriculum provided conceptual, high-level knowledge. For some participants, particularly conversational programmers who didn’t plan to program in their careers, this information was sufficient for their needs. Other participants felt that purpose-first programming was a starting point, from which they could move forward to gain a deeper understanding of how code works.PHDInformationUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/167912/1/kicunn_1.pd

    LA BELLA FIGURA: MAKING A GOOD IMPRESSION WHEN TEACHING AN INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMING TO NON-ENGINEERS

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    ABSTRACT This paper presents real and practical solutions to teaching an introductory course in programming to non-engineering students. It addresses the challenges and the potentials of making a good first impression in such a course, including the desire to fit everything into one quarter, the opportunity to encourage students to explore programming further, and the reality that students are looking for a useful tool for use in their respective fields. Specific suggestions and ideas for course content presentation, textbook selection, and course projects are presented that address these challenges

    Research on Teaching and Learning In Biology, Chemistry and Physics In ESERA 2013 Conference

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    This paper provides an overview of the topics in educational research that were published in the ESERA 2013 conference proceedings. The aim of the research was to identify what aspects of the teacher-student-content interaction were investigated frequently and what have been studied rarely. We used the categorization system developed by Kinnunen, Lampiselkä, Malmi and Meisalo (2016) and altogether 184 articles were analyzed. The analysis focused on secondary and tertiary level biology, chemistry, physics, and science education. The results showed that most of the studies focus on either the teacher’s pedagogical actions or on the student - content relationship. All other aspects were studied considerably less. For example, the teachers’ thoughts about the students’ perceptions and attitudes towards the goals and the content, and the teachers’ conceptions of the students’ actions towards achieving the goals were studied only rarely. Discussion about the scope and the coverage of the research in science education in Europe is needed.Peer reviewe

    Monitoring and evaluation nivelation of tooth on 3D digital models

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    3D modeliranje je nova tehnologija primenjena u ortodonciji. U ovim istraţivanjima ova tehhnologija je primenjena za praćenje nivelacije zuba. Da bi se to ostvarilo, uz primenu standardnih geometrijskih modelera (CAD sistemi), za ova istraţivanja, su razvijeni referentni geometrijski entiteti (RGE), kao osnovni, izvedeni i anatomski. Na ovaj naĉin se definišu ortodontski parametri, a na novi naĉin vrše ortodontske analize, na primeru nivelacije zuba. Definisan je skup od 54 ortodontska parametra, 28 za donju vilicu i 26 za gornju vilicu. Oni se prate u prostoru, u sve tri ortodontske ravni, preko anatomskih taĉaka zuba. Definisan je konept e personalne ordinacije, razvijen model praćenja poloţaja zuba u prostoru, postavljen koncept modeliranja zubnog luka pomoću splajna u okluzalnoj ravni i istraţena taĉnost dva skenera. Sve ovo testirano je na primeru nivelacije zuba. MATERIJAL I METOD: U ovim istraţivanjima osnovni uzorak je obuhvatio 155 pacijenata, Klinike za ortopediju vilica Stomatološkog fakulteta u Beogradu. Populacija koja je saĉinjavla ovaj uzorak bila je starosti od 15 do 26. godina, oba pola. Kod svih njih sa ortodontske taĉke gledišta, javljali su se sledeći problemi: nepravilan poloţaj zuba, teskoba, malokluzija razliĉitog tipa, nepravilan oblik zubnog luka. Pratila se nivelacija zuba (njihov poloţaj u prostoru, kao i u okluzalnoj ravni), koja spada u prvu fazu terapije fiksnim aparatima. Ona obuhvata sledeće: (i) Nivelaciju bravica, odnosno regulisanje vertikalnih odstupanja pojedinih zuba, (ii) Korekcija rotiranih zuba, (iii) Korekcija labio(buko) lingvalnih odstupanja zuba, i (iv) Uspravljanje zuba. Skeniranje je vršeno na: Next Engine (Stomatološki fakultet, Beograd), Atos (Topomatika, Zagreb) i LazakSkan (Fakultet za strojništvo, Ljubljana). Dobijeni 3D modeli su obraĊeni u programu GOM Inspect V8 (V8 Hotfix 6, Rev. 81431), a ortodontske analize i sinteze su vršene na Solid Works i Siemens PLM NX10 softveru. Kao metod korišćen je prilaz generisanja 3D digitalnog modela, a na njemu, kroz konkretni primer, definisanje, merenje i praćenje RGE, koji su korišćeni za ortodontske analize i sinteze. Ova istraţivanja su zasnovana na primeni sledećih metoda: analiza (ortodontskih sluĉajeva, stanja, parametara, trendova, ...), sinteza (terapijskih metoda, procedura i postupaka, ...), indukcija (predviĊanje ortodontskih trendova za skup u odnosu na uzorak) i dedukcija (izvlaĉenje zakljuĉaka o ortodontskom stanju za svakog pacijenta posebno). Naravno, kao bazni postupak za ova istraţivanja korišćeno je 3D modeliranje, kao nauĉna disciplina koja je prvo razvijena u inţenjerstvu, a ovde će se primenjivati u ortodonciji...3D modeling is a new technology applied in orthodontics. In this research, this technique was used to evaluate teeth nivelation. In order to do this, with the application of standard geometric modelers (CAD systems), for these investigations, reference geometric entities (RGEs) have been developed, as basic, derivative and anatomical. In this way, orthodontic parameters are defined, and in a new way they perform orthodontic analysis, in the case of a tooth nivelation. A set of 54 orthodontic parameters is defined, 28 for the lower jaw and 26 for the upper jaw. They are monitored in the space, in all three orthodontic levels, through the anatomical points of the teeth. The concept of e personal practice is defined, the developed model for monitoring the position of teeth in the space, the concept of modeling the dental arch using the spline in the occlusal plane was set up and the accuracy of the two scanners was explored. All this has been tested on a case of tooth nivelation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In these studies, the basic sample covered 155 patients, Clinics for orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry in Belgrade. The population that made this sample was between the ages from 15 to 26, both sexes. In all of them from the orthodontic point of view, the following problems have been reported: incorrect position of teeth, disturbances, different types of malooclusions, irregular shape of the dental arch. The leveling of the teeth (their position in the area, as well as in the occlusal plane) was observed, which belongs to the first phase of therapy with fixed devices. It includes the following: (i) Leveling of brackets, ie regulation of vertical deviations of individual teeth, (ii) Correction of rotated teeth, (iii) Correction of labio (bucco) lingual tooth deviations, and (iv) Tooth decay (upright). The scan was performed at: Next Engine (Faculty of Dentistry, Belgrade), Atos (Topomatika, Zagreb) and LazakSkan (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Ljubljana). The obtained 3D models were processed in the GOM Inspect V8 (V8 Hotfix 6, Rev. 81431) and the orthodontic analysis and synthesis were performed on Solid Works and Siemens PLM NX10 software. As an approach, the approach of generating a 3D digital model was used, and on it, through a concrete example, the definition, measurement and monitoring of RGE, used for orthodontic analysis and synthesis. These studies are based on the application of the following methods: analysis (orthodontic cases, states, parameters, trends, ...), synthesis (therapeutic methods, procedures and procedures, ...), induction (prediction of orthodontic trends for a set versus sample) and deduction (drawing conclusions about the orthodontic condition for each patient separately). Of course, as a basic process for these research, 3D modeling, as a scientific discipline that was first developed in engineering, and here will be applied in orthodontics..

    Experimental-Teaching: ‘Help-sheet’ in Examination of Engineering-students

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    The-purpose of this-unfunded, miniature-study is to-examine the-potentials of student-created ‘help-sheets’ and attitudes of undergraduate-students, towards the-sheets, used, at university-examinations, at school of Engineering. A-specifically-designed-experiment, a-survey, and a-document-analysis, were used, as main-instruments, for this-study. A-paired t-test was run on a-sample of 24 students, to-determine whether there was a-statistically-significant mean-difference, between the-student-performances at the-CAT#1 (where ‘help-sheets’ were-used) and: (1) CAT #2, where ‘help-sheets’ were not used; (2) final-exam; and (3) student-average weighted-mean-score, for the-previous-year. Moreover, unpaired-t-test was-employed, to-compare performance, between the-students, who used ‘help-sheet’ (in CAT #1) and these who did not, assuming unequal-variances. Mean; Standard-Deviation (SD); and Standard-Error of the-Mean (SEM) were calculated via Minitab 17.3.1. This-study revealed vast-diversity, in the-quality and composition, of student-created ‘help-sheets’. Moreover, positive-attitudes towards ‘help-sheets’, were identified, in-particular: 88% of the-class have-prepared and utilized their-‘help-sheets’ for the-experiment; 76% reported to-be less-nervous, than usual; 95% agreed, that the-use of ‘help-sheet’ was-beneficial; and 81% confirmed, that they would-like to-use the-same-approach, in other-subjects.  Comparisons of student performance indicated, that the-preparation and use, of student-created ‘help-sheets’ have no impact on student-performance. Academic-performance, however, is just one-of the-many variables, potentially influenced, by the-use of ‘help-sheets’. As-such, the-research-findings show students self-reported reduction of test-anxiety; moreover cheating at-examinations, being-considered as pervasive-practice, at-the school, was not observed, during this-experiment. The-main-recommendations, of the-study were: (1) to-use ‘help-sheets’ in-examinations, on the-grounds that they potentially-reduce both; test-anxiety, and cheating, at-examinations; (2) to-deal with test-anxiety, lecturers should-help students, mastering-it, by self regulation relaxation-techniques; and (3) specific-areas, for future (more-deeper)-research, were identified. Moreover, to-give a-broader-reflection on the-subject-matter, the-following-topics were-also elaborated upon: Traditional examination-modes: ‘closed-book’ vs. ‘open-book’; Alternative-examination-approach: student created reference-material (‘help-sheet’); Cheating, at-exams, at local-context; and Anxiety (concepts, types, mechanism, and consequences; test-anxiety; and self-regulating relaxation-techniques). The-author trusts, findings of this-study, in-conjunction with theoretical-background, given,  adds to-the-body of knowledge, on experimental-teaching, particularly, on the-use of student-prepared reference-materials, such-as ‘help-sheets’, at university-examinations. The-results of the-experiment can also-help university-lecturers decide, whether to-allow their-students to-use ‘help-sheets’. Keywords: ‘cheat-sheet’, test anxiety, exam type, exam performance.

    WICC 2017 : XIX Workshop de Investigadores en Ciencias de la Computación

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    Actas del XIX Workshop de Investigadores en Ciencias de la Computación (WICC 2017), realizado en el Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (ITBA), el 27 y 28 de abril de 2017.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

    Experimenting with Realism in Software Engineering Team Projects: An Experience Report

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    Over Several years, we observed that our students were sceptical of Software Engineering practices, because we did not convey the experience and demands of production quality software development. Assessment focused on features delivered, rather than imposing responsibility for longer term `technical debt'. Academics acting as 'uncertain' customers were rejected as malevolent and implausible. Student teams composed of novices lacked the benefits of leadership provided by more experienced engineers. To address these shortcomings, real customers were introduced, exposing students to real requirements uncertainty. Flipped classroom teaching was adopted, giving teams one day each week to work on their project in a redesigned laboratory. Software process and quality were emphasised in the course assessment, imposing technical debt. Finally, we introduced a leadership course for senior students, who acted as mentors to the project team students. This paper reports on the experience of these changes, from the perspective of different stakeholders

    Tecnología, innovación e investigación en los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje

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    Este libro ha ganado el “PREMIO INTERNAZIONALE FRANCESCO SAVERIO NITTI PER IL MEDITERRANEO 2017” (NÁPOLES, ITALIA).Este libro pretende mostrar un compendio de aportaciones en torno a la tecnología, innovación e investigación en los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje, de ahí su título. Desde diversos contextos educativos, los autores respectivos de cada capítulo dan a conocer las posibilidades que ofrecen las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación [TIC] con respecto al diseño y desarrollo de nuevos escenarios de enseñanza-aprendizaje. Cabe considerar que las TIC deben asentarse en fundamentos pedagógicos cuando se trate de perfilar las características de dichos escenarios educativos. Así, se podrán mostrar reflexiones, innovaciones e investigaciones que añadan nuevos significados al conocimiento. En este sentido, las aportaciones de este libro se estructuran en cuatro grandes bloques temáticos: Innovación Educativa, Investigación Científica en Tecnología Educativa, Políticas Educativas y de Investigación, y Escenarios de aprendizaje basados en TIC. Se trata de cuatro pilares en los cuales consideramos debe fundamentarse el aporte de investigación, desarrollo e innovación que este libro contiene a fin de responder a las exigencias educativas del siglo XXI
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