Bridging the gap : the role of mediated transfer for computer programming

The objective of computer programming is that students learn how to develop solutions in computer programing languages, such as Java. However, to develop such solutions students need to be able to solve problems. Therefore, problem solving is a critical skill that needs to be acquired. As problem solving and computer programming is difficult, universities worldwide make use of interactive tools, such as Scratch, Alice and Greenfoot to provide a user-friendly, visual and comfortable computer programming environment. The aim of such tools is for students to develop computer programming concepts informally. However, if students are to become competent computer programmers, they must transfer the programming concepts learnt from such tools, to formalised computer programming languages.This paper examines the extent to which mediated transfer is an effective pedagogy to transition students. The results indicate that the transition may not be as seamless as was first expected

Male vs female IT student numbers : what do the Stats Say

Abstract: Worldwide the participation of females in the field of information technology is low and the attrition rate high. This paper reports on the student enrolment figures for IT courses according to gender at a university in Johannesburg, South Africa and determines what the main reasons are that influence females to enrol for an IT course. Data was collected from a database of 5859 students enrolled for an IT course for the years 2013 to 2017 at a university in Johannesburg. Statistics showed that the percentage of female students enrolled in either an IT degree or diploma for 2013 to 2017 was 21%. It was determined that the main reasons that females choose to pursue an IT field is their interest in the course, the number of job opportunities available and the support that they received from their families. This is the first phase in an ongoing research study to understand why females are underrepresented in IT courses. Future studies will explore what interventions can be put in to place to attract females to study IT courses

High school mathematics marks as an admission criterion for entry into programming courses at a South African university

Abstract: In this study, the assumption that good performance in mathematics in the final school year could be used as a pre-entry requirement to programming courses at universities in South Africa, is challenged. The extant literature reports positive relationships between mathematics performance and success in programming courses. As computer programming modules in higher education institutions (HEIs) are typically characterised by low success rates, it becomes important to eliminate potentially erroneous entry requirements. The low success rate in programming modules is ascribed to the abstract nature and content of programming courses, and the inadequacy of pre-university education to prepare students for the cognitive skills required for success in such programmes. This paper reports on a single independent variable, ‘performance in high school mathematics’, and its relationship to performance in two computer programming courses. The dataset comprised the school marks of four cohorts of students who were enrolled for the programming modules between 2012 and 2015. Firstly, we computed the point-biserial correlation between a dichotomous variable that indicated whether students had mathematics as a subject in Grade 12 or not, and their performance in the programming modules. Once we established that a relationship existed, the marks achieved in the final school year for mathematics, and performance in two programming modules were correlated. Results indicated that the school mathematics marks correlate only marginally, and that correlations were not significant, with performance in the two programming courses. We also correlated the school mathematical literacy marks with performance in the two programming courses, and found that a strong positive correlation that was significant existed with the second semester programming course. We conclude that the mark achieved for school mathematics cannot be considered as a valid admission criterion for programming courses in the South African context

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

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

The role of pre-entry attributes in the performance of students who enrol for programming modules at two higher-education institutions

Abstract: Performance in computer programming modules at Higher Education Institutions has traditionally been low. Within the context of world-wide shortages of skilled programmers, it becomes imperative that greater success is achieved in HEIs. The low success rate in programming modules is ascribed to the abstract nature and content of programming courses, and the inadequacy of pre-university education to prepare students for the cognitive skills required for success in such courses. This study identifies and relates the pre-entry attributes of students at universities in Johannesburg and Pretoria, South Africa before enrolling for computer programming courses. In the quest for identifying those attributes that may have impacted on student success in the programming modules, their problem solving ability, socio-economic status, educational background, performance in school mathematics, English language proficiency, digital literacy and previous programming experience, were explored using a survey research method. The dataset comprised of four programming aptitude tests, a student profile questionnaire and Development Software 1 examination results of 379 students studying the National Diploma Business Information Technology at a Johannesburg City University* (JCU) and the National Diploma Information Technology at a Pretoria City University* (PCU). The data analysed indicates that there is a correlation between the variables problem solving, digital literacy and previous programming experience and performance in programming modules. There was no correlation found between the variables socio-economic status, educational background, Grade 12 mathematics marks and Grade 12 English marks and performance in programming modules. The research concluded that the marks achieved for school mathematics and English cannot be considered as a valid admission criterion for programming courses in the South African context and an alternate requirement should be found.Ph.D

The role of digital literacy in the academic performance of first year students in the National Diploma: Information Technology at the University of Johannesburg

M.Ed.The aim of this study is to determine the role of pre-existing levels of digital literacy on the academic performance of students who are enrolled for the National Diploma Information Technology at the University of Johannesburg. The majority of students entering the University of Johannesburg are black and come from schools and communities which do not enjoy the same technologically rich environments as that of their counterparts, yet on entering their first year of studies, they are expected by lecturers to perform at the same level as those from advantaged backgrounds. Students enrolled in 2008 were targeted, using a mixed methods study that incorporated both quantitative and qualitative data to illuminate the factors related to digital literacy that may have influenced the students’ likelihood to succeed in the Information Technology modules. The data that were collected were brought in relation to the students final marks for the subject Information Systems 1 Module A (Computer Concepts). It emerged that the computer literate students performed significantly better during the first semester compared to the computer illiterate students. The computer illiterate students indicated that the lack of computer experience influenced their ability to pass computer related subjects; however, it was not the only limiting factor as socioeconomic factors also played a role. Other results showed that students battled to keep up with the fast pace with which subjects were lectured. The students’ level of the English language is a predictor of their success in the Diploma and more than 70% of students were unable to use the Internet

Coding for girls : dismissing the boys club myth

Abstract: This paper describes a study that was conducted over a two-year period. The aim of the study was to introduce girls to programming through the use of innovative tools. These tools, namely Mindstorms Robotics and Scratch were carefully chosen for their unique characteristics. The objective of the study was to provide girls with an opportunity to view programming in a positive manner. A quantitative analysis was performed, and the results indicate that the majority of the girls were motivated to learn programming skills. This paper not only provides insight into the minds of girls learning programming, but can also serve as motivation for educators teaching girls programming skills