27 research outputs found

    Introductory programming, problem solving and computer assisted assessment

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    Constructing a mathematical proof is isomorphic with writing a computer program. Validating a proof is as difficult as validating a computer program. Yet there is a pragmatic approach to validating a computer program: simply testing it with sample input and checking the required output. This paper discusses the use of computer assisted assessment on an introductory programming course. It is formative assessment; the aim being to foster a problem solving approach to programming. We have discovered the following advantages with computer assisted assessment in our programming course: the students get plenty of practice in programming, they get fast feedback and can easily move onto more advanced problems as their skill develops. The paper looks at the issues involved in problem design, the importance of presentation of the assessment and feedback, and student impressions of the exercise. Results are compared with traditional paper based examinations

    Computer-based assessment system for e-learning applied to programming education

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    Tese de mestrado integrado. Engenharia Informática e Computação. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 201

    AlgoWeb: A Web-Based Environment for Learning Introductory Programming

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    Esse artigo descreve um ambiente de web chamado AlgoWeb para o aprendizado de algoritmos. O Algoweb possui um editor orientado à sintaxe de algoritmos em Português estruturado, executa processamento passo-a-passo, e suporta pontos de parada e monitoramento de variáveis. Ele também possui um banco de problemas algorítmicos que cobrem os conceitos e técnicas ensinados nas disciplinas de introdução a programação. O ambiente realiza a verificação automática da correção dos algoritmos submetidos para cada problema (conforme os dados de entrada e saída definidos previamente). Todas as interações entre os usuários e o ambiente são registradas, fornecendo uma ferramenta valiosa para avaliar o progresso de cada estudante ou da turma

    Using multimedia to develop students\u27 programming concepts

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    The growing use of computers and computer technology is creating a worldwide need for more programmers and computer professionals. The increasing complexity of programming languages and applications is demanding higher skills sets from the programmers who are being trained. Kann et al. (1997) suggest that the graphic representation of algorithms used in most textbooks are too abstract and insufficient for learners to develop the logical thinking required in computer science courses. Many programming students have problems due to a lack of understanding of conceptual and mental models (Soloway et al., 1981). This paper describes the development of an alternative teaching approach, based on constructivist learning principles, and multimedia technologies. The Dynamic Interactive Visualisation Tool in teaching C (DIVTIC), uses multimedia and visual imagery to provide learners with a step-by-step representation of program executions in the C language as a means to enhance their understanding. DIVTIC was designed around constructivist principles, and combines collaborative and visualisation learning strategies with use of the Internet and the World Wide Web to support the learning of programming. This paper will describe the conceptual framework supporting the design of DIVTIC and will report on a study which sought to explore the effectiveness of its use among a cohort of students studying introductory programming at Suranaree University of Technology (SUT) in Thailand. The paper will describe how the students used DIVTIC and will discuss how this use was able to support and encourage their learning

    Computer-based assessment system for e-learning applied to programming education

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    Tese de Mestrado Integrado. Engenharia Informática e Computação. Faculdade de Engemharia. Universidade do Porto. 201

    Metonymy and Student Programming Errors

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    The common occurrence of metonymy in everyday language is considered as a negative bias towards successfully learning to state the correct referent when learning to program. Reported errors from previous studies are surveyed and the analysis reveals a pattern consistent with the use of metonymy, a rhetorical device where the speaker states a referent that is structurally related to the intended referent. This analysis suggests an underlying cause for a class of programming errors and provides directions for further research and instructional interventions

    Functional Programming For All! Scaling a MOOC for Students and Professionals Alike

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    Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have launched a scale shift in higher education, with several individual MOOCs now boasting tens or hundreds of thousands of participants worldwide. Our MOOC on the principles of functional programming has more than 100,000 registered students to date, and boasts one of the highest rates of completion (19.2%) for its size. In this paper, we describe our experience organizing this popular MOOC, and demonstrate how providing innovative supporting tools (IDE plugins, testing frameworks, interactive build tools, automated cloud-based graders, style checkers) and considering key human-computer interaction factors potentially contributed to this markedly high completion rate. We collect an unprecedented volume of course statistics and survey results and have made them available, along with scripts for generating interactive web-based visualizations, as an open-source project
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