E-Assessment in Programming Courses: Towards a Digital Ecosystem Supporting Diverse Needs?

While a number of advantages have been discussed on e-learning/e-assessment tools, little research has been reported on programming courses. Today, the different types of questions have been used in exams based on course type, e.g., Text-based questions, mathematical questions, and programming questions. All these question types require supporting plug-ins for e-assessments. In this study, we provide our practical experience on programming exams in Inspera Assessment and Blackboard Learn, especially focusing on Parsons problems (drag-and-drop questions) and code writing questions. Our findings indicate that currently, tools have basic support for programming exams, and also there is a low-level integration between the tools. However, the adaptability of any exam system could depend on the interoperability between the platforms and external plugins. Hence, more improvements can be made with the implementation of e-assessments in digital ecosystems while it requires a lot of changes internally and outside institutions. In the paper, we will explain how a digital ecosystem within e-assessment could improve assessments and how it supports diverse needs of programming exams

Computer Programming with Early Elementary Students with Down Syndrome

Students of all ages and abilities must be given the opportunity to learn academic skills that can shape future opportunities and careers. Researchers in the mid-1970s and 1980s began teaching young students the processes of computer programming using basic coding skills and limited technology. As technology became more personalized and easily accessible in the early 2000s, there was renewed interest in preparing students with the computer programming skills necessary for their education and possible career choices. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the feasibility of teaching early elementary students with Down syndrome basic computer programming skills using evidence-based practices (i.e., explicit instruction), physical manipulatives, and a robot. All participants (n = 3) successfully completed the intervention. Results, limitations, and future research directions are discussed