scholarly journals Increasing Student Retention and Satisfaction in IT Introductory Programming Courses using Active Learning

10.28945/3003 ◽  
2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Whittington
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Student Retention ◽  
National Science Foundation ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Teaching Techniques ◽  
Learning Techniques ◽  
National Science ◽  
Introductory Computer Programming ◽  
Introductory Programming Courses ◽  
Programming Courses

The emerging field of Information Technology is one of several fields that require students to leam computer programming. A large proportion of the students were having difficulty getting through the programming sequence and ultimately changed majors or dropped out of college. To deal with this problem, curricular reforms were implemented and active learning techniques were added to the classroom. The outcome of which was increased student retention, grades, and overall satisfaction. As a result of these encouraging results, an NSF CCLI grant was awarded to formally compare teaching techniques and to create active learning activities specifically designed for introductory computer programming courses. This paper discusses the preliminary work and results that led to the grant award and also summarizes the work that is currently underway. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No. DUE-0442987.

Facilitating Students-Driven Learning of Computer Programming with Technology

2009 ◽  
pp. 262-275
Author(s):  
Alessio Gaspar ◽  
Sarah Langevin ◽  
Naomi Boyer
Keyword(s):  
Education Research ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Computing Education ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Learning Barriers ◽  
Integration Of Technology ◽  
Introductory Programming Courses ◽  
Programming Courses

This chapter discusses a case study of the application of technology to facilitate undergraduate students’ learning of computer programming in an Information Technology department. The authors review the evolution of the didactic of introductory programming courses along with the learning barriers traditionally encountered by novice programmers. The growing interest of the computing education research community in a transition from instructivist to constructivist strategies is then illustrated by several recent approaches. The authors discuss how these have been enabled through the use of appropriate technologies in introductory and intermediate programming courses, delivered both online and face to face. They conclude by discussing how the integration of technology, and the switch to online environments, has the potential to enable authentic student-driven programming pedagogies as well as facilitate formal computing education research or action research in this field.

scholarly journals Discovering the Role of Problem-Solving and Discussion Techniques in the Teaching Programming Environment to Improve Students' Computational Thinking Skills

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 615-623
Author(s):  
Nor Hasbiah Ubaidullah ◽  
◽  
Zulkifley Mohamed ◽  
Jamilah Hamid ◽  
Suliana Sulaiman
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Teaching Techniques ◽  
University Lecturers ◽  
Programming Courses

Computational thinking skill is one of the essential abilities to be learned and perfected by students of this century. Studies have shown that in the teaching and learning of programming courses, discussion and problem-solving techniques have been widely used. However, studies based on the suitability of such teaching techniques for the development of the computational thinking skills of students are, however, lacking. In this context, this research was conducted to define the teaching techniques used by university lecturers when teaching a computer programming subject and to explore how the techniques can influence the development of the computational thinking skills of students. This research was based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches involving a semi-structured interview and a survey method, respectively. The research sample consisted of eight (8) university lecturers recruited from several Malaysian public universities, who had been teaching computer science to undergraduates. The results showed that in teaching computer programming, a majority of the respondents used discussion and problem-solving methods, with each assisting students to gain computer programming skills and learn certain components of computational thinking. As such, it is recommended that teaching practitioners incorporate the discussion and problem-solving techniques in the teaching and learning of programming courses. The incorporation of such strategies will help students develop good computer programming and computational thinking skills encompassing all the fundamental elements. The results also revealed that the respondents had no experience in using the metacognitive technique. As such, it is also proposed that future research should focus on this technique to investigate any possible effects that it may have on the growth of the computer programming and computational thinking skills of undergraduates.

scholarly journals Active Learning for Classroom Management Model

10.28945/3238 ◽  
2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Whittington ◽  
Michael Yacci
Keyword(s):  
Active Learning ◽  
Classroom Management ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Management Model ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
Limited Support ◽  
In Series ◽  
Introductory Computer Programming

This paper proposes the Active Learning for Classroom Management Model as a method to structure active learning experiences. The model was devised and tested in an Introductory Computer Programming course. Stages in the model are explained with examples of classroom activities. The model was evaluated twice in series of quasi-experiments and limited support was provided for improved student performance through the use of the model.

Forming Groups for Collaborative Learning of Introductory Computer Programming Based on Students’ Programming Skills and Learning Styles

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 34-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Manuel Adán-Coello ◽  
Carlos Miguel Tobar ◽  
Eustáquio São José de Faria ◽  
Wiris Serafim de Menezes ◽  
Ricardo Luís de Freitas
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Learning Styles ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Group Formation ◽  
Cognitive Conflict ◽  
The Social ◽  
Grouping Students ◽  
Introductory Computer Programming ◽  
Introductory Programming Courses

Collaborative learning is pointed out as an effective approach to reduce apprentices’ difficulties that arise during the effort to learn computer programming. In a collaborative learning process, the formation of groups is a fundamental activity and one of the most complex, because grouping students randomly is ineffective in obtaining real collaboration. PQAS and GroupOrganizer were developed to address the lack of tools that support group formation in the context of collaborative learning of computer programming. These tools form groups based on the theories of socio-cognitive conflict and learning styles. In order to stimulate the social-cognitive conflict, PQAS groups students with significant differences in programming style. GroupOrganizer extends PQAS and forms groups also considering students’ learning styles. Two experiments involving students taking introductory programming courses provide evidences that the adopted approaches contribute to increase students’ learning both in terms of programming style and workgroup skills.

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