Enhancing Novice Students’ Computational Thinking Skills through Teaching and Learning Programming with Problem-Solving and Metacognitive Techniques

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Novice Students ◽  
Learning Programming ◽  
Teaching And Learning Programming

scholarly journals Improving Novice Students’ Computational Thinking Skills by Problem-Solving and Metacognitive Techniques

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 88-108
Author(s):  
Nor Hasbiah Ubaidullah ◽  
Zulkifley Mohamed ◽  
Jamilah Hamid ◽  
Suliana Sulaiman ◽  
Rahmah Lob Yussof
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Cognitive Skills ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Metacognitive Skills ◽  
Thinking Skill ◽  
Novice Students ◽  
Programming Courses

Admittedly, the teaching and learning of programming courses in the computer science and information technology programs have been extremely challenging. Currently, most instructors depend on either the problem-solving technique or the metacognitive technique to help students develop a range of cognitive skills, including metacognitive skills, which are important in the development of a strong computational thinking skill required for 21st-century learning. Studies focusing on the practices of instructors in using both techniques are scarce, thus motivating the researchers to carry out this study. This study was based on a qualitative approach involving a case-study design in which five (5) male and five (5) female instructors were selected from 10 pre-university centers in Malaysia as the respondents and participants in an intervention program. The research instruments used were an interview checklist and intervention guidelines. As anticipated, the findings showed that the activities of each technique could only help students develop certain sub-skills of the computational thinking skill, thus underscoring the need for instructors to integrate both techniques in their teaching practices. Thus, it could be reasoned that using either the metacognitive technique or the problem-solving technique alone would not be sufficient to help students develop strong computational thinking skills, as each technique has its strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, it becomes imperative for instructors to leverage the strengths of both techniques by integrating both of them in the teaching and learning of programming courses.

Visual Plan Construct Language (VPCL)

2015 ◽  
pp. 326-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza Ebrahimi
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Observation Phase ◽  
Working Space ◽  
Observation Plan ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Teaching Learning ◽  
Learning Programming ◽  
Teaching And Learning Programming ◽  
The Web

Teaching and learning programming can be enhanced by the incorporation of visualization. A system and method that the author created, known as Visual Plan Construct Language (VPCL), incorporates programming visualization for teaching, learning programming, and problem solving. VPCL contains a Plan Library that is accessible through the Web. A user can create and establish a working space and environment on the system to examine VPCL plan library and develop one's own plan library. VPCL consists of three phases: Plan Observation, Plan Integration, and Plan Creation. The observation phase rehearses how a program is broken down into smaller components with their integration relationship. The integration phase concentrates on how two plans are related to each other in building a program. The methods of integration are known as appended, interleaved, branched, and embedded. The creation phase concentrates on how a new plan is built using the existing plans from the plan library.

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.

Programming Life

2019 ◽  
pp. 486-523
Author(s):  
Thiago Ferreira Dantas ◽  
Patricia Padula Lopes ◽  
Erico Marcelo Hoff do Amaral
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
C Language ◽  
Initial Expectation ◽  
Programming Logic ◽  
Learning Programming ◽  
Incoming Students ◽  
Self Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning Programming

This chapter presents the use of gamification as mechanism to support the process of teaching and learning programming through a serious game, titled Programming Life. The aim is to alleviate the difficulties encountered by incoming students in the introductory programming disciplines and to provide the student with a teaching method, to which self-learning is possible, without the need for prior knowledge of content, only with their own efforts. Developing logical reasoning, the ability to solve problems in an algorithmic way and enabling the learning of C language and stimulating the construction of computational thinking in a pleasant and attractive way. The results achieved with the use of Programming Like in classes of algorithms and programming were beyond the initial expectation, and demonstrate that it is possible to provide at the student with a form of playful learning, ensuring that students assimilate concepts and techniques related to programming logic.

Memory Transfer Language: an absolute learner-driven visualizer

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 5015-5019
Author(s):  
Leonard J. Mselle
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Visualization Technique ◽  
Teaching Materials ◽  
Memory Transfer ◽  
Learning Programming ◽  
Teaching And Learning Programming

This article discusses visualization as a technique to enhance programming comprehension. It points out that current animation approach, being machine-based technique, is inadequate due to the fact that machine-based animation tools are difficult to integrate in the current teaching materials. In addition, machine-centered animators do not guarantee the learner with absolute engagement. In this paper, MTL, as a visualization technique which is absolutely learner-driven is demonstrated and discussed. It is shown that MTL can be integrated with current materials for teaching and learning programming and it can guarantee absolute authority to the learner.

scholarly journals Pembelajaran Berdasarkan Senario dalam Mengajar Model Penyelesaian Masalah

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanthi Tamilselvam ◽  
Johari Surif
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Chemistry Education ◽  
Secondary School Teachers ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Transcription Process ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
University Lecturers

This study aims to evaluate the suitability of the Scenario Based Learning Module (SBL), which has been designed in the topic of Problem Solving Models. The study also aims to examine the advantages of SBL in universities and secondary education levels.  In addition, this study was conducted to find out the barriers and constraints in the designated SBL.  Lecturers from a university and a secondary school participated in this study which is conducted as an interview.  The interview is aimed to gather information on the suitability and features of the module, as well as the advantages and obstacles in the SBL module.  The data obtained from the interviews are qualitatively analyzed through the transcription process.  The findings show that the modules are designed to be practiced at university level among students. The findings also show that the module has many advantages in terms of understanding the learning content, thinking skills and problem solving skills, social and collaborative skills and intrinsic motivation of students.  Additionally, obstacles and constraints that exist in SBL are also discussed. This study benefits from the perspective of providing information on the suitability, advantages and obstacles of SBL for the Problem Solving course in Chemistry Education.  In fact, university lecturers and secondary school teachers can take this study as a reference for SBL applications in teaching and learning.  University students can also benefit from the SBL module designed and the results of this study.

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