Analyzing human factor impacts of a programming pedagogy strategy at University of Coimbra

Abstract

This paper presents an ethnographic study, focusing on the human factor impacts, by analyzing the relation of the pedagogical strategy requirements implemented into a regular programming classes with the efficacy of the classroom changes proposed to improve teaching practice and study behavior. The paper summarizes the updates implemented in the Introduction to Programming and Problem Solving (IPRP in Portuguese equivalent acronym), the first programming course offered for two undergraduates degrees, Informatics Engineering and Design and Multimedia, by the Informatics Engineering Department at the University of Coimbra. The changes applied in IPRP were inspired by pedagogical strategy recommendations developed in previous research, and its updated version has been run since 2011/12 academic year. The present study reports only the developments observed in IPRP classes from the Design and Multimedia degree through the lecturer's point of view assessments