scholarly journals Exploring Pair Programming Benefits for MIS Majors

10.28945/3625 ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 223-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tendai A Dongo ◽  
April H. Reed ◽  
Margaret T. O'Hara
Keyword(s):  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Program Design ◽  
Pair Programming ◽  
Design Quality ◽  
Technical Productivity ◽  
Direct Observations ◽  
Collaborative Programming ◽  
High Level ◽  
Development Course ◽  
Programming Courses

Pair programming is a collaborative programming practice that places participants in dyads, working in tandem at one computer to complete programming assignments. Pair programming studies with Computer Science (CS) and Software Engineering (SE) majors have identified benefits such as technical productivity, program/design quality, academic performance, and increased satisfaction for their participants. In this paper, pair programming is studied with Management Information Systems (MIS) majors, who (unlike CS and SE majors taking several programming courses) typically take only one programming course and often struggle to develop advanced programming skills within that single course. The researchers conducted two pair programming experiments in an introductory software development course for MIS majors over three semesters to determine if pair programming could enhance learning for MIS students. The program results, researchers’ direct observations, and participants’ responses to a survey questionnaire were analyzed after each experiment. The results indicate that pair programming appears to be beneficial to MIS students’ technical productivity and program design quality, specifically the ability to create programs using high-level concepts. Additionally, results confirmed increased student satisfaction and reduced frustration, as the pairs worked collaboratively to produce a program while actively communicating and enjoying the process.

scholarly journals Learners Programming Language a Helping System for Introductory Programming Courses

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 347-358
Author(s):  
Muhammad Shumail Naveed ◽  
Muhammad Sarim ◽  
Kamran Ahsan
Keyword(s):  
Programming Languages ◽  
Programming Language ◽  
Retention Rate ◽  
Introductory Programming ◽  
Source Program ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
High Level ◽  
Novice Students ◽  
Introductory Programming Courses ◽  
Programming Courses

Programming is the core of computer science and due to this momentousness a special care is taken in designing the curriculum of programming courses. A substantial work has been conducted on the definition of programming courses, yet the introductory programming courses are still facing high attrition, low retention and lack of motivation. This paper introduced a tiny pre-programming language called LPL (Learners Programming Language) as a ZPL (Zeroth Programming Language) to illuminate novice students about elementary concepts of introductory programming before introducing the first imperative programming course. The overall objective and design philosophy of LPL is based on a hypothesis that the soft introduction of a simple and paradigm specific textual programming can increase the motivation level of novice students and reduce the congenital complexities and hardness of the first programming course and eventually improve the retention rate and may be fruitful in reducing the dropout/failure level. LPL also generates the equivalent high level programs from user source program and eventually very fruitful in understanding the syntax of introductory programming languages. To overcome the inherent complexities of unusual and rigid syntax of introductory programming languages, the LPL provide elementary programming concepts in the form of algorithmic and plain natural language based computational statements. The initial results obtained after the introduction of LPL are very encouraging in motivating novice students and improving the retention rate.

Experience Teaching Introductory Programming Courses

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-53
Author(s):  
Liguo Yu
Keyword(s):  
Problem Based Learning ◽  
Introductory Programming ◽  
Complex Problems ◽  
Team Working ◽  
Experience Teaching ◽  
Capstone Projects ◽  
High Level ◽  
Introductory Programming Courses ◽  
Programming Courses

This paper describes the teaching methods and teaching experiences of an instructor who has been teaching computer science freshmen for more than ten years. Problem-based learning has been used in introductory programming courses to enhance the quality of learning. The common problem in introductory programming courses is that instructors quite often focus mainly on programming language syntax and usage but ignore the real world applications of these language features. Accordingly, students are likely to find out that it is difficult to apply their programming skills on solving complex problems in their high level courses. Through introducing problem-based learning in introductory programming courses, students not only could obtain experience of dealing with complex problems, but also could practice other soft skills, such as team working skills, which could better prepare them for junior and senior level coursework and capstone projects. In addition, other philosophy issues related to teaching introductory courses are discussed and tentative solutions are presented.

A Survey of Object-Oriented Design Quality Improvement

2009 ◽  
pp. 2646-2664
Author(s):  
Juan José Olmedilla
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Evaluation Model ◽  
Object Oriented ◽  
Measurement Model ◽  
Design Quality ◽  
Quality Properties ◽  
Object Oriented Design ◽  
Design Improvement ◽  
High Level

The use of object-oriented (OO) architecture knowledge such as patterns, heuristics, principles, refactorings and bad smells improve the quality of designs, as Garzás and Piattini (2005) state in their study; according to it, the application of those elements impact on the quality of an OO design and can serve as basis to establish some kind of software design improvement (SDI) method. But how can we measure the level of improvement? Is there a set of accepted internal attributes to measure the quality of a design? Furthermore, if such a set exists will it be possible to use a measurement model to guide the SDI in the same way software processimprovement models (Humphrey, 1989; Paulk, Curtis, Chrissis, & Weber, 1993) are guided by process metrics (Fenton & Pfleeger, 1998)? Since (Chidamber & Kemerer, 1991) several OO metrics suites have been proposed to measure OO properties, such as encapsulation, cohesion, coupling and abstraction, both in designs and in code, in this chapter we review the literature to find out to which high level quality properties are mapped and if an OO design evaluation model has been formally proposed or even is possible.

Scientific Knowledge Transfer Training Through a Virtual World

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 24-35
Author(s):  
Ana Martin-Suarez ◽  
Juan Cruz Benito ◽  
Jonás Samuel Pérez-Blanco ◽  
Mª del Carmen Gutierrez Millan ◽  
Aranzazu Zarzuelo Castañeda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Second Life ◽  
Virtual World ◽  
Teaching Strategy ◽  
Digital Competence ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Transfer Training ◽  
Scientific Knowledge Transfer ◽  
High Level

The aim of this study was to use the virtual world Second Life (SL) to perform a knowledge transfer training to Pharmacy students. The presentation of assignments of different subjects was organized as scientific congress communications. The activities were carried out at the facilities created at the USALPHARMA Island in SL. The content and format of these works, together with their oral presentation and interventions in debates were evaluated. These experiences provided adequate learning results and a high level of student satisfaction. This teaching strategy can foster development of creativity, critical thinking, communication, co-teamwork and digital competence. Likewise, it can facilitate teacher-student relations and relations among the students themselves. It also implies significant savings in time and money, since real facilities and equipment and physical movement of people are not involved. All of this encourages us to recommend this platform to host all kinds of conferences or scientific conferences.

scholarly journals Meaningful learning using concept maps as a learning strategy

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Romero ◽  
Moisés Cazorla ◽  
Olga Buzón
Keyword(s):  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Concept Maps ◽  
Learning Strategy ◽  
Concept Map ◽  
Natural Sciences ◽  
Assessment Tests ◽  
Level Of Satisfaction ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
High Level ◽  
Previous Session

This work presents a proposal for the teaching-learning of the concept map technique applied to the Natural Sciences course in the second year of Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO, according to its initials in Spanish). Two sessions have been designed, one of which is an instructor-led session to learn the technique and another is a session in which the students independently create a concept map, applying what they have learned in the previous session. To determine the effectiveness of the proposal, the concept maps created by the students during the two sessions have been evaluated, the grades obtained on the assessment tests for the unit before the concept map experience have been compared to those obtained on the assessment tests for the unit carried out using this technique, and a survey was written to find out the level of student satisfaction with the training received and the usefulness of the concept map technique. The results show that more than 65% of students earned grades between 7 and 9.5 on the concept maps created independently during the two academic years in which the proposal has been implemented. The study carried out allows us to conclude that the students have learned how to create concept maps, and evidences the usefulness of the methodology used and the need to implement more sessions for the creation of concept maps in the Natural Sciences course so that this technique is transformed into a learning strategy. The students have expressed a high level of satisfaction with the training received and the tool they have learned how to use.

Implementation of Paul Revere: Tough as Nails, an Integrated Project-Based Course on Materials Science and History of Technology

2004 ◽  
Vol 827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Stolk ◽  
Robert Martello ◽  
Franklin W. Olin
Keyword(s):  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Materials Science ◽  
History Of Technology ◽  
Technical Content ◽  
Hands On ◽  
History Of ◽  
Social Environmental ◽  
High Level ◽  
College Sophomores

AbstractOlin College sophomores participate in integrated course blocks that merge technical content with business, arts, humanities, and social science topics, allowing students to work on engineering projects that have broader implications than the purely technical. In this paper, we present Paul Revere: Tough as Nails, a multidisciplinary course block that combines an introductory materials science course with a history of technology course and a large scale project. In Paul Revere, students explore connections between historical and technological materials science developments through examinations of Paul Revere's metallurgical work and analyses of the relevant social, environmental, political, and economic aspects that contribute to ancient and modern technologies. The explicit linkages among technical, non-technical, and hands-on aspects of the course improve learning of traditional topics, help drive interdisciplinary thinking, and lead to a high level of student satisfaction and motivation throughout the semester.

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