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Student performance in computing education: an empirical analysis of online learning in programming education environments
Abstract
The benefits of using online exercises have been analysed in terms of distance learning, automatic assessment and self-regulated learning. In this study, we have not found a direct proportional relationship between student performance in the course exercises that use online technologies and the exam grades. We see that the average submission rate to these online exercises is not positively correlated with the exercise points. Yet, our results confirm that doing exercises along supports student learning and skill accumulation equipping them with the knowledge of programming. While the student performance in programming courses is affected by factors such as prior background in programming, cognitive skills and the quality of teaching, completing the course exercises via learning-by-doing is an indispensable part of teaching. Based on the student feedback from the course survey, the students are highly satisfied with using online technologies as part of learning.
... Maryono, Budiyono, and Akhyar (2022); Elshiekh and Butgerit (2017) and Khaleel, Ashaari, and Wook (2019) indicate the difficulty in teaching and learning programming languages because of abstract knowledge. Xia and Liitiäinen (2017) and Alsaeed (2020) also confirmed a decline in the student's ability to write syntax. From their point of view, this was attributed to the traditional methods used in teaching programming lessons in computer courses. ...
... Therefore, many students show low motivation towards learning it, especially beginners in computer programming (Ismail, Ngah, & Umar, 2010;Mohorovicic & Strcic, 2011;Queirós, 2019;Tsai & Lai, 2022). Xia and Liitiäinen (2017) stated that picking the appropriate teaching method is essential to improve students' programming skills. However, according to Queirós (2019), the teaching methods used to teach programming are lecturing methods in which the programming language syntax is presented theoretically without allowing students to practice programming skills. ...
This study aims to demonstrate the efficacy of gamification in developing HTML programming skills and academic achievement motivation for 10th-grade students. Despite the significance of computer programming in developing students' thinking, many students still need more motivation to learn it. One of the entertaining strategies of computer programming is gamification. The study used a quasi-experimental design for two groups. The experimental group (N=18) was taught by gamification and the control group (N=17) was taught by the traditional teaching method. The researcher conducted a pre-test to determine the equivalence between groups using a valid and reliable practical test and scale. After three-weeks of teaching, the same test and scale were applied to compare the groups. The result showed statistical differences between the two groups in favor of the experimental group in programming skills and all academic achievement motivation dimensions. This study recommended that using gamification in teaching programming languages to students at different stages would help computer teachers. More research should be conducted to investigate the impact of gamification on teaching different programming languages.
... National and international reports and publications corroborate the importance of computation in the formation of engineers [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. Of course, the development of computational thinking skills is also of primary importance in computer science students. ...
... Computing, coding, programming, algorithmic thinking and computational thinking are all terms used in the engineering and computer science education literature. Authors link these concepts with technological and engineering knowledge advancement [3,9,[16][17][18][19][20][21]. The relationship between engineering education and computing skills is formalized in The Taxonomy of Engineering Education Research where "Computing skills (syn: Computing knowledge)" are included in the student outcome category [22]. ...
... Tanis (2020) showed that effective online teaching and learning requires a carefully designed classroom that promotes student engagement with faculty, peers, and course content; meantime, Hayward (2020) showed that active teaching and academic selfefficacy were positive predictors of course grade while task avoidance was a negative predictor of the course grade. Students have better performance and more positive perceptions in the flipped version of the course (Watkins, Fedesco, Marshall, 2019;Xia, & Liitiäinen, 2017); meanwhile, Cakiroglu, Erdogdu, Kokoc, & Atabay (2017) found out that in the constructivist approach, various self-assessment techniques are being developed to enable students to assess themselves in the learning process. Cho, Melloch, & Levesque-Bristol (2021) indicated that increasing students' engagement in their learning processes and making connections with students through teaching sessions can facilitate improvements in students' motivation and academic success' meanwhile, social loafing can have a positive impact on learning if the task is appropriately designed (Yang, Ghislandi, & Dellantonio, 2018;Siciliano, 2021). ...
The study aimed to investigate the relationship between online teaching attendance, lecturer performance, and learning progress in the online teaching of art master students at the university. A quantitative approach was the method used in the research. The correlational research design was used. The first and second-year master's students of an art university were selected to be used in the study. Correlational research design and an online questionnaire to get primary data were used in the study. The study revealed a high positive correlation between online teaching attendance and learning progress in online teaching variables (r = .812). It is also revealed that lecturer performance explains 75.7% of the variance of learning progress in online teaching. This indicates that online teaching attendance and lecturer performance influence strongly learning progress in online teaching.
... Programming requires constant effort where LI is comprehended by the intuition of students to learn and practice the programming tasks (Xia & Liitiäinen, 2017). LI depends on the effectiveness of TP, the PU of the studies, and IF to study in an e-learning course (Pugh, 2019). ...
Modern internet technologies have revolutionized the traditional education by providing flexible and resourceful e-learning opportunities in all the fields of knowledge. Programming constitutes integral part of undergraduate curriculum in computer sciences, and adequate level of programming expertise is expected from the graduates. In this paper, we explore and examine key factors that contribute to developing programming skills among undergraduate students in e-learning. These factors include teaching practices, intrinsic factors, efficacy problems, and learning intentions. We present a research model by integrating teaching practices, intrinsic factors, and efficacy problems with learning intentions of programming. This study involved responses from 460 undergraduate students. Structural Equation Modelling was applied to develop and evaluate the relationship between factors of the model. Experimental results show that teaching practices and student intrinsic motivations play a pivotal role in promoting learning intentions for programming. Further investigation reveals that learning intentions positively affect the programming expertise while the impact of efficacy problems is negative. The results proclaim that well-organized teaching practices and intrinsic factors develop learning intentions in students which overcome the efficacy problems and lead to better programming expertise. This research provides critical implications for policymakers to effectively implement computer science programs in e-learning paradigm.
... In online learning, the responsibility of learning is shifted from the instructor to the student (Xia & Liitiäinen, 2017). Researchers argued that traditional pedagogical practices that do not fit online classrooms (Baran, Correia, & Thompson, 2011). ...
This article draws on a one-semester online programming course to determine the relationships between the types of feedback that students received and their programming performances. An explorative study was designed including both quantitative and qualitative data. Participants were 15 second-year students enrolled at an Information Technology department of a public university who received weekly programming problems as projects. The instructor provided various types of feedback (corrective, confirmatory, explanatory, diagnostic and expanded feedback) to the students via GitHub. The results showed that; when the students who received corrective and explanatory feedback more, the programming performance scores were high. A strong positive relationship existed between a total amount of feedback with programming performance scores, also a number of times that students received explanatory feedback and programming performance scores. In addition, while the positive correlations existed between programming performance scores and the amount of all types of feedback, there was a weak correlation between the number of times that students received expanded feedback and programming performance scores. The difficulty of the programming projects, the needs of the participants and the affordances of the online learning environment played key role in the students' preference for receiving feedback type. Recommendations for future research and practice are included.
... SRL awareness can be a useful predictor of performance in an online learning environment, as the concept of cognitive learning and attitude, required for novice learners to master programming skills [11], is the foundation of SRL. Reference [12] tried to automatically assess mastering programming skills, in terms of SRL, in online learning environments. Reference [13] used the perspective of SRL to note the necessity of learning support for successful programming education. ...
This research aims to develop a seat location-based teaching assistant system in order to improve self-regulated learning (SRL) awareness in face-to-face C programming classes. The awareness of SRL is one of the key factors for successful learning and strongly relates to learning motivation, attitude, learning strategies, and learning performance. From behavioral perspective, seat location is an important factor that indicates effects on learning performance and a student's learning attitude. The seminal comparative evaluation was conducted in a C programming class for first-year university students, and the results indicated that these students gained significantly higher learning performance than non-system class students. However, no significant differences in the awareness of SRL were detected.
... These aforementioned studies further discuss why teachers should take into consideration the extent of students' prior knowledge and structure their courses appropriately with the goal of building new knowledge atop that which already exists. Research conducted in a variety of fields on the impact of prior knowledge has concluded that prior knowledge is a key factor in student learning [10][11][12][13][14]. ...
Computer literacy and programming are being taught increasingly at the K-12 level with more students than ever matriculating in college with prior programming experience. Accurately assessing student programming skills acquired in high school can inform college faculty about the range of competencies in introductory programming courses. The tool predominantly-used for assessing past CS knowledge and skills is a survey, which lacks quantitative rigor. This study aims to (1) quantify the effects of prior knowledge in entry-level programming courses and (2) compare the different measurement approaches of student prior knowledge in programming, including surveys and aptitude tests. The results of this study reveal that a discrepancy exists between the results of surveys and aptitude tests. Consistent with prior survey studies, our survey results showed that the effects of student prior programming knowledge faded gradually during the course period. In contrast, the aptitude test results indicated that the effects of student prior knowledge did not weaken over time. The accuracy of both measurements and implications for instructors were further discussed.
Despite the availability and potential usefulness of demographic and contextual data in many quantitative studies within engineering education, the preference for ANOVA over regression models remains prevalent, often without clear justification. A mapping review of literature from the EJEE and JEE spanning 2012–2022 identified 98 studies using ANOVA or t-tests. Further investigation suggested that 62% and 78% of these studies, in the two flagship journals, respectively, potentially could have benefitted from employing regression analyses. This article argues for the broader adoption of regression analysis when appropriate, and its potential superiority over ANOVA in numerous contexts based on statistical and practical considerations. This argument is supported through both conceptual discussions and statistical evidence, alongside simulation studies utilising three widely used databases. The findings of simulation studies showed that regression analyses not only use demographic and contextual data more effectively but also offer enhanced analytical power, accuracy, and robustness against Type I errors, particularly in identifying disparities in educational outcomes and exploring intersectionality. Thus, we advocate for a more proactive consideration of adopting regression methods, especially integrating meaningful covariates, for research design and method choice.
Computational thinking is one barrier to enculturating as a professional engineer. We created the Engineering Computational Thinking Diagnostic (ECTD) as an instructional tool that can identify at-risk first-year engineering students. The purpose of this study is to provide construct validity, internal consistency reliability, item characteristics, and criterion validity evidence for this diagnostic. From fall 2020 to fall 2021, 469 students from three institutions in the United States took the diagnostic. The data from 152 students at one institution was used to provide evidence of predictive validity. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses resulted in 20 items loading onto one factor in a good model fit range, with the internal consistency reliability coefficient, Cronbach α of 0.86. From item analyses based on classical test theory, the diagnostic items on average tended to be slightly easy but had sufficient discrimination power. The correlation matrix for criterion validity evidence indicated that the diagnostic functions well to differentiate students’ computational thinking ability by prior computer science course experience as well as by first-generation status. Predictive validity evidence from regression analyses revealed the statistically significant effect of students’ diagnostic scores assessed at the beginning of the first semester on predicting their end of semester course grades. The ECTD can have a broad impact because it provides a tool to gauge the entry-level skills of students, enabling early curriculum interventions to help retention and persistence to graduation. We make the case that the ECTD could contribute to the development of a more diverse workforce in engineering.
Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of self-regulated programming learning on undergraduate students’ academic performance and motivation compared to traditional methods.
Design/methodology/approach:
This study was conducted with an explanatory sequential mixed method. Participants consist of 31 undergraduate students studying in the department of computer and instructional technologies education. The students were separated into two groups as experimental ( n = 15) and control ( n = 16) in the robotic programming course. Academic performance tests, programming motivation scale and interview form were used as data collection tools. After collecting quantitative data, interviews were conducted with the students regarding their academic performance and motivation.
Findings:
The results indicated that the self-regulated programming learning process can contribute positively to students’ academic performance and motivation compared to traditional methods. Students stated that self-regulated learning strategies can positively affect their academic performance and motivation.
Originality/value:
In this study, a self-regulated learning support system was designed to encourage students to use self-regulated learning strategies. This study has the potential to contribute to the gap in the literature, especially as a study of adapting the phased model of self-regulated learning to programming teaching. Instructors can use the self-regulating programming learning framework by adapting it to different disciplines.
In 2008, a new term emerged in the already crowded e-learning landscape: MOOC, or massive open online course. Lifelong learners can now use various tools to build and manage their own learning networks, and MOOCs may provide opportunities to test such networks. This paper focuses on the technological aspects of one MOOC, the Connectivism and Connective Knowledge (CCK08) course, in order to investigate lifelong learners’ attitudes towards learning network technologies. The research framework is represented by three perspectives: (a) lifelong learning in relation to open education, with a focus on the effective use of learning tools; (b) the more recent personal knowledge management (PKM) skills approach; and (c) the usability of web-based learning tools.
Findings from a survey of CCK08 participants show that the course attracted mainly adult, informal learners, who were unconcerned about course completion and who cited a lack of time as the main reason for incompletion. Time constraints, language barriers, and ICT skills affected the participants’ choice of tools; for example, learners favoured the passive, filtered mailing list over interactive but time-consuming discussion forums and blogs. Some recommendations for future MOOCs include highlighting the pedagogical purpose of the tools offered (e.g., learning network skill-building) and stating clearly that the learners can choose which tools they prefer to use. Further research on sustainability and instructor workload issues should be conducted to determine the cost and effectiveness of MOOCs. Investigation is also necessary to understand whether such terms as course, drop-out, and attrition are appropriate in relation to MOOCs.
This article brings together, summarizes, and comments on several threads of research that have contributed to our understanding of the challenges that novice programmers face when learning about the runtime dynamics of programs and the role of the computer in program execution. More specifically, the review covers the literature on programming misconceptions, the cognitive theory of mental models, constructivist theory of knowledge and learning, phenomenographic research on experiencing programming, and the theory of threshold concepts. These bodies of work are examined in relation to the concept of a “notional machine”—an abstract computer for executing programs of a particular kind. As a whole, the literature points to notional machines as a major challenge in introductory programming education. It is argued that instructors should acknowledge the notional machine as an explicit learning objective and address it in teaching. Teaching within some programming paradigms, such as object-oriented programming, may benefit from using multiple notional machines at different levels of abstraction. Pointers to some promising pedagogical techniques are provided.
p>This paper examines how emergent technologies could influence the design of learning environments. It will pay particular attention to the roles of educators and learners in creating networked learning experiences on massive open online courses (MOOCs). The research shows that it is possible to move from a pedagogy of abundance to a pedagogy that supports human beings in their learning through the active creation of resources and learning places by both learners and course facilitators. This pedagogy is based on the building of connections, collaborations, and the exchange of resources between people, the building of a community of learners, and the harnessing of information flows on networks. This resonates with the notion of emergent learning as learning in which actors and system co-evolve within a MOOC and where the level of presence of actors on the MOOC influences learning outcomes.
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This meta-analysis of the experimental literature of distance education (DE) compares different types of interaction treatments (ITs) with other DE instructional treatments. ITs are the instructional and/or media conditions designed into DE courses, which are intended to facilitate student–student (SS), student–teacher (ST), or student–content (SC) interactions. Seventy-four DE versus DE studies that contained at least one IT are included in the meta-analysis, which yield 74 achievement effects. The effect size valences are structured so that the IT or the stronger IT (i.e., in the case of two ITs) serve as the experimental condition and the other treatment, the control condition. Effects are categorized as SS, ST, or SC. After adjustment for methodological quality, the overall weighted average effect size for achievement is 0.38 and is heterogeneous. Overall, the results support the importance of the three types of ITs and strength of ITs is found to be associated with increasing achievement outcomes. A strong association is found between strength and achievement for asynchronous DE courses compared to courses containing mediated synchronous or face-to-face interaction. The results are interpreted in terms of increased cognitive engagement that is presumed to be promoted by strengthening ITs in DE courses.
“Circuits and Electronics” (6.002x), which began in March 2012, was the first MOOC developed by edX, the consortium led by MIT and Harvard. Over 155,000 students initially registered for 6.002x, which was composed of video lectures, interactive problems, online laboratories, and a discussion forum. As the course ended in June 2012, researchers began to analyze the rich sources of data it generated. This article describes both the first stage of this research, which examined the students’ use of resources by time spent on each, and a second stage that is producing an in-depth picture of who the 6.002x students were, how their own background and capabilities related to their achievement and persistence, and how their interactions with 6.002x’s curricular and pedagogical components contributed to their level of success in the course.
Because of decreased prices, increased convenience, and wireless access, an increasing number
of college and university students are using laptop computers in their classrooms. This recent
trend has forced instructors to address the educational consequences of using these mobile
devices. The purpose of the current study was to analyze and assess beneficial and challenging
laptop behaviours in higher education classrooms. Both quantitative and qualitative data were
collected from 177 undergraduate university students (89 males, 88 females). Key benefits
observed include note-taking activities, in-class laptop-based academic tasks, collaboration,
increased focus, improved organization and efficiency, and addressing special needs. Key
challenges noted include other student’s distracting laptop behaviours, instant messaging, surfing
the web, playing games, watching movies, and decreased focus. Nearly three-quarters of the
students claimed that laptops were useful in supporting their academic experience. Twice as
many benefits were reported compared to challenges. It is speculated that the integration of
meaningful laptop activities is a critical determinant of benefits and challenges experienced in
higher education classrooms.
This paper analyzes several features of virtual learning environments. These tools are basic for new models of education because their basic idea is to reduce the number of hours face-to-face in the classroom and to promote remote individual work. This is the main purpose of the new European models given by the Bologna process. Four studies have been made. First of them, shows level of popularity of each environment according number of entrances in two web searchers. From this previous study, we have chosen the most popular environments and we will give the details of their features and main differences between them. We are going analyze existing environments to create online learning communities and so, promoting online learning. Next, we will show a study this type of educational social software. This study involves a questionnaire to some lecturers of our university, Polytechnic University of Valencia. Our analysis presents most important results. Then, we have studied the virtual learning environments used in the Spanish universities. It will show us which of them are more used in Spain. Finally in the last part of the paper, we will show a performance evaluation of the two main environments.
University courses about computer programming usually seek to provide students not only with technical knowledge, but also with the skills required to work in real-life software projects. Nowadays, the development of software applications requires the coordinated efforts of the members of one or more teams. Therefore, it is important for software professionals to master the sort of skills that assure the success of teamwork, such as communication, leadership, negotiation, or team management. However, these abilities are difficult to teach, one of the reasons being that they require true commitment from the students. However, today students are taking a more and more passive role in their own education, two of the more evident consequences being the increase in dropout rates and the decrease in marks obtained in exams. The NUCLEO e-learning framework has been designed to promote the effective acquisition of teamwork skills and, at the same time, to promote the more active participation of the students in their own learning process. NUCLEO adopts a socio-constructivist pedagogical approach that pursues the development of communities of practice for Problem Based Learning. Our research has rooted the design decisions of NUCLEO in the analysis of its socio-cultural environment with Activity Theory, which considers conflicts within groups as the impetus of their evolution and the forges of their environments. This paper presents the analysis of the main features of NUCLEO according to Activity Theory, as well as the experimental results obtained with the framework in three different case studies in university courses.
There is considerable evidence that using technology as an instructional tool improves student learning and educational outcomes (Hanna & de Nooy, 2003). In developing countries, pre-university education focuses on memorization, although meting the mission of AUST requires students to manage technology and to think more independently. This study examines the impact of incorporating a discussion forum on the achievement of university students enrolled in a Distance Education course, Educational Technology Department at Ajman University of Science and Technology (AUST), United Arab Emirates. The study was conducted with 34 students divided into two sections, one a treatment group and one a control group. Both sections were exposed to the same teaching techniques covering the same course material on Distance Education. Four weeks after the course had commenced they were given the same teacher constructed test. However, after the first test, the treated group was exposed to the use of a World Wide Web (WWW) interactive discussion forum. At the end of the semester-long treatment period, a final test was given to both groups, and student scores were analyzed for any statistically significant difference. Questionnaires and interviews were also conducted to see if students had enjoyed the experience. The results of the study indicated that students in both groups showed learning improvement over the course of one semester, but discussion forums had an obvious impact on student achievement and attitude in distance learning/educational technology course. © International Forum of Educational Technology & Society (IFETS).
Self-directed learning on open online networks is now a possibility as communication and resources can be combined to create learning environments. But is it really? There are some challenges that might prevent learners from having a quality learning experience. This paper raises questions on levels of learner autonomy, presence, and critical literacies required in active connectivist learning.
This article presents findings from a meta-analysis of 213 school-based, universal social and emotional learning (SEL) programs involving 270,034 kindergarten through high school students. Compared to controls, SEL participants demonstrated significantly improved social and emotional skills, attitudes, behavior, and academic performance that reflected an 11-percentile-point gain in achievement. School teaching staff successfully conducted SEL programs. The use of 4 recommended practices for developing skills and the presence of implementation problems moderated program outcomes. The findings add to the growing empirical evidence regarding the positive impact of SEL programs. Policy makers, educators, and the public can contribute to healthy development of children by supporting the incorporation of evidence-based SEL programming into standard educational practice.
One of the central topics in the research of higher education is the degree of match between education and work as measured by earnings. Traditional literature has shown the correlation between the duration of studies and earnings in the work life. The authors' present study aims to enlarge this scope by evaluating the impact of competence and skills learned in the university with that of the skills demanded in the work life in an empirical study. In this paper, the authors have collected elementary data from the Finnish university graduates with a respectively high response rate. Consequently, using the data of these university graduates they aim to demonstrate the mismatch between the demand for academic knowledge and the professional demand in the work life and draw policy implications on the findings. The authors will also show how these phenomena affect higher education and earnings through the analysis of skills and competence. New research opportunities are opened in the survey evidence on skills learned at the university.
There has been much research done on online learning including research on online educational activities and methods. The use of technology is gaining rising importance in higher education due to the benefits that it brings. In terms of adopting new technologies to teaching, new forms of teaching, such as massive open online courses (MOOCs), are increasingly seen as a feasible future form of learning. The importance of MOOCs in higher education has caused debates in the computing education research. This study aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the pedagogical implications of MOOCs to higher education. Research in MOOCs is of vital importance because these courses may offer meaningful learning opportunities for those otherwise impossible through means of distance learning. The concepts of e-learning, online learning and distance learning have been previously addressed where previous research has indicated that the integration of online technologies to higher education do not automatically support learning. Many education institutions still question the sustainability of courses using extensive online technologies in higher education. The authors open up new research opportunities in a student-centered design in MOOCs incorporating a personalized learning environment to online education.
This study examines research publication and trends in instructional design, as found in selected professional journals during the period 1980-2008. Citation analysis was used to investigate documents relating to instructional design, as indexed in the Web of Science. Instructional design; instruction design; educational design; learning design; teaching design; ID, etc, were the key phrases used for searching the documents, and a total of 758 analysed documents were judged relevant to the field of instructional design. The results of the study were explored according to the journal of publication; document type; year of publication; author; author affiliation; country of publication; most frequently used words and phrases; subject; language; cited by years and h index rating. Notable findings include the most frequently used key words and phrases (after instructional design, these are cognitive load theory and worked examples); regarding subject area, education, educational research, and educational psychology dominate. With regards to country of origin, 87% of authors came from only 7 countries, with countries in the Far East being poorly represented.
This article uses data from a major international survey to construct earnings functions in terms of learning outcomes and variables related to working life in different European countries. In order to complement the extended earnings regression model, the authors have used partial correlation analysis and the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to discover the relevant competences appreciated by employers. Whilst one of the authors' focus countries is Finland, research results from comparison European Union countries with similar education systems have also been analysed. Consistent with previous research, the study outlines the correlation between the competences taught in universities and performance in working life, and thus quantifies the effect of higher education on earnings. In line with the theory of human capital, those who have invested more in higher education also seem to achieve higher return from the job market. However, the analysis also shows how a few of the competences taught in universities correlate negatively with the demands of working life in contrast with initial expectations. Consequently, this research offers new insights with regard to existing literature on higher education and earnings functions. The authors also open up new research avenues within the theory of human capital.
This study explores the implications of higher education on earnings in Finland. The challenges as well as opportunities of obtaining a university degree as compared to graduating from polytechnics are evaluated using the REFLEX (The Flexible Professional in the Knowledge Society) data. As a Nordic country, Finland is known for its educated population and the public emphasis on continuous learning but, nevertheless, there has been comparatively little research published internationally. The authors address the criticisms and drawbacks of higher education by analysing the performance of Finnish graduates in the labour market using the analysis of covariances. While debates concerning additional financing for higher education persist, it is acknowledged to be one of the solutions to the aging population and related economic problems in Finland. Based on the results from various Finnish educational institutions, the authors analyse the degree of match between investment in human capital and market demand.
Learning outcomes, as a conceptual base, are a recognised phenomenon in higher education. Advances in technology, such as web-based technologies in teaching, have facilitated learning efficiency, while such technologies relation to learning outcomes remains a popular topic of research. In this article, we have employed the feedback of 312 Finnish university and polytechnic students in forest study programmes in order to assess alternative modes of learning using content analysis. In addition, we will evaluate learning outcomes and the level of knowledge sharing using web-based technologies in teaching under different educational experiences based on the interview results from the selected samples. Consequently, we aim to consolidate the concept of learning outcomes through a discussion of a virtual learning environment and the role of a facilitator in an optimal educational experience. We conclude that the concept of learning outcomes is multifaceted and the benefits of using web-based technologies in teaching are potentially great in Finnish forest education.
B ackground
Researchers have identified many factors affecting undergraduate engineering students' achievement and persistence. Yet, much of this research focuses on persistence within academia, with less attention to career plans after graduation. Furthermore, the relative influence of expectancy‐versus value‐related beliefs on students' achievement and career plans is not fully understood.
P urpose (H ypothesis )
To address these gaps, we examined the relationships among the following motivation constructs for female and male first‐year engineering students: (a) expectancy‐related constructs that included engineering self‐efficacy (i.e., a judgment of one's ability to perform a task in engineering) and expectancy for success in engineering (i.e., the belief in the possibility of success in engineering); (b) value‐related constructs that included identification with engineering (i.e., the extent to which one defines the self through a role or performance in engineering) and engineering values (i.e., beliefs related to engineering interest, importance, and usefulness); (c) engineering achievement; and (d) engineering career plans.
D esign /M ethod
Participants included 363 first‐year engineering students at a large state university. The students completed an online survey instrument in the first and second semester of their first year.
R esults
Students' expectancy‐ and value‐related beliefs decreased over the first year for both men and women. Men reported higher levels for expectancy‐related beliefs than women. Expectancy‐related constructs predicted achievement better than the value‐related constructs, whereas value‐related constructs predicted career plans better for both men and women.
C onclusions
Expectancy‐ and value‐related constructs predicted different outcomes. Thus, both types of constructs are needed to understand students' achievement and career plans in engineering.
In 2011, the respective roles of higher education institutions and students worldwide were brought into question by the rise of the massive open online course (MOOC). MOOCs are defined by signature characteristics that include: lectures formatted as short videos combined with formative quizzes; automated assessment and/or peer and self-assessment and an online forum for peer support and discussion. Although not specifically designed to optimise learning, claims have been made that MOOCs are based on sound pedagogical foundations that are at the very least comparable with courses offered by universities in face-to-face mode. To validate this, we examined the literature for empirical evidence substantiating such claims. Although empirical evidence directly related to MOOCs was difficult to find, the evidence suggests that there is no reason to believe that MOOCs are any less effective a learning experience than their face-to-face counterparts. Indeed, in some aspects, they may actually improve learning outcomes.
This article is a brief introduction to some of the issues that teachers of programming may find helpful. It starts by presenting a fairly idiosyncratic view of teaching programming which makes use of mechanistic analogies and points out some of the pitfalls. The article goes on to examine certain errors based on the misapplication of analogies as well as certain interaction errors. The main emphasis is on the notional machine both at the general level of understanding (and misunderstanding) the relationship of the terminal to the computer as such, as well as at the more specific level of understanding assignment. Notation and mistakes that poorly-designed languages can induce novices to commit are discussed.
The long-term sustainability of online degree programs is highly dependent upon student enrollment and retention. While national growth in online education has increased approximately 10% between 2005 and 2006 to 3.5 million students, student attrition in online programs remains higher than on-campus traditional programs (Allen & Seaman, 2007). To proactively address student attrition, the Master of Science in Higher Education Program at Drexel University has developed and implemented the concept of Online Human Touch (OHT) instruction and programming. This interactive and personalized approach to online education has resulted in high student retention rates and high levels of student satisfaction. This article is the first of a two-part series that focuses on OHT in online education.
This paper presents both the design and the pilot formative evaluation study of a computer-based problem-solving environment (named LECGO: Learning Environment for programming using C using Geometrical Objects) for the learning of computer programming using C by beginners. In its design, constructivist and social learning theories were taken into account. The general design has taken into consideration models of the learning process and subject matter as well as potential learner behaviour in dealing with fundamental tasks. The main emphasis has been placed on the role of: (a) multiple external representations in student learning, (b) motivation, through performing problem-solving activities taken from the familiar and meaningful context of drawing, using simple geometrical objects, (c) the active participation of students in their own learning by using hands-on experience, (d) appropriate feedback on the actions taken by students, to aid their self-correction, and (e) holistic, activity-based, multi-media, multi-representational and multi-layered content for the learning of basic concepts of programming using C. LECGO was pilot evaluated in the field through a qualitative and comparative study where nine 12th grade (18-year-old) students participated. In fact, students faced three similar yet not identical sets of four tasks across three learning environments, namely; paper and pencil (p–p), Turbo C and LECGO. The data emerging from this field evaluation study indicates that students gain better results within LECGO than in both the p–p environment and the typical programming environment of Turbo C, while performing similar activities.
This paper presents an analysis of research papers about programming education that were published in computing education conferences in the years 2005 to 2008. We employed Simon's classification scheme to identify the papers of interest from the ICER, SIGCSE, ITiCSE, ACE, Koli Calling and NACCQ conferences. Having identified the papers, we analyzed the type of data collected, whether the analysis was qualitative, quantitative, or mixed, and the aims and outcomes being reported. The greatest number of papers employed quantitative research methods, investigated the ability, aptitude, or understanding of students, and were based in single courses. The theme of the research and the type of study conducted vary across the conferences, indicating the different nature and role of each conference. Papers that investigated student learning of programming in terms of established theories or models of learning were not common, indicating an area of research that deserves more attention.
Anecdotal evidence from several sources, primarily in industry, indicates that two programmers working collaboratively on the same design, algorithm, code, or test perform substantially better than the two would working alone. In this technique, often called "pair programming" or "collaborative programming", one person is the "driver" and has control of the pencil/mouse/keyboard and is writing the design or code. The other person continuously and actively observes the work of the driver-watching for defects, thinking of alternatives, looking up resources, and considering strategic implications of the work at hand. A course in Web programming was taught at the University of Utah in Summer Semester 1999. In this course, the students worked in pairs, continuously collaborating on all programming assignments. Using the technique, the students applied a positive form of "pair-pressure" on each other, which proved beneficial to the quality of their work products. The students also benefited from "pair-learning", which allowed them to learn new languages faster and better than they had experienced with solitary learning. "Pair-learning" also reduced the workload of the teaching because the students no longer relied primarily on them for technical support and advise.
Constructivism is a theory of learning which claims that students construct knowledge rather than merely recieve and store knowledge transmitted by the teacher. Constructivism has been extremely influential in science and mathematics education, but much less so in computer science education (CSE). This paper surveys constructivism in the context of CSE, and shows how the theory can supply a theoretical basis for debating issues and evaluating proposals. An analysis of constructivism in computer science education leads to two claims: (1) students do not have an e#ective model of a computer, and (2) computers form an accessible ontological reality. The conclusions from these claims are that: (1) models must be explicitly taught, (2) models must be taught before abstractions, and (3) the seductive reality of the computer must not be allowed to supplant construction of models. Introduction The dominant theory of learning today is called constructivism. This theory claims that knowledge is actively constructed by the student, not passively absorbed from textbooks and lectures. Since the construction builds recursively on knowledge that the student already has, each student will construct an idiosyncratic version of knowledge. To
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