Assessment In Computer Science Research Articles

Validation Reconceived: The Double Treatment Experimental Design

Learning is a process that leads to outcomes. The science of learning is the epistemic practice of investigating the relationship between this process and its outcomes. We propose a novel method for the study of learning: The Double Treatment experimental design. The core design for experimental studies in the Learning Sciences consists of two elements, learning activities together with assessments of their outcomes. In conventional Single Treatment experimental designs, the learning activities are subject to a controlled experimental manipulation, the outcomes of which are then evaluated in a common assessment. In the Double Treatment experimental design, both the learning activity and the assessment are subject to the experimental manipulation, leading to a basic 2 x 2 experimental design. We provide a theoretical rationale in favor of the Double Treatment design, which we illustrate and discuss in three experimental study examples implementing this method: A study on the contextual nature of memorization and recall while scuba diving, a study on invention activities as a preparation for future learning, and a study on resource-rich assessment in computer science. We argue that the Double Treatment design has the potential to enhance the epistemic power of experimental Learning Sciences research by improving the ontological coherence of experimental designs. They promise to facilitate both hypothesis testing and hypothesis generation, enable the validation of assessment methods from within corresponding studies, and reduce the need for externally validated assessments outside the control of the researchers.

컴퓨터·정보공학 분야의 교과기반 학습성과 평가 사례연구

본 논문에서는 컴퓨터 정보공학 분야의 프로그램 학습성과를 교과기반으로 평가하기 위한 방법을 개발한 경험과 교훈을 소개한다. 최근 한국공학교육인증원(ABEEK)은 정부로부터 몇 가지 조건의 충족을 전제로 공학교육 분야의 프로그램 인정기관으로 지정된 바 있다. 그 조건들 중 하나는 프로그램 학습성과의 교과기반 평가를 실행하는 것이다. 본 논문에서는 컴퓨터 정보공학 분야의 프로그램 학습성과를 교과기반으로 평가하기 위한 방안을 제안한다. 이를 위한 사례연구는 기초 프로젝트 교과목에서 실시되었고, 프로젝트 교과목에서의 특별한 평가 기법들이 포함되었다. 기초 프로젝트에서의 교과기반 평가 사례연구는 해당 교과목과 밀접히 연관된 학습성과의 설정, 지필고사 및 프로젝트기반 평가와 같은 평가도구의 선택, 평가기준의 설정, 교과기반 평가의 실행 및 평가결과에 대한 분석과 같은 각 단계를 고려하여 제안된다. 제안된 방법은 컴퓨터 정보공학 분야의 교과기반 평가 전략을 세우기 위한 좋은 본보기가 될 것으로 기대한다. This paper deals with the practical experience and lessons to develop a method of course-embedded assessment for program outcomes in Computer Science & Information Engineering. In engineering education, ABEEK(Accreditation Board for Engineering Education of Korea) has been nominated as an official accreditation from Korean government under some conditions of fulfillment. One of the conditions is enforcement of course-embedded assessment for program outcomes. In this paper, a method of course-embedded assessment in Computer Science & Information Engineering is suggested. The case study was done in a basic project course which includes the special assessment methods in project courses. The case study of course-embedded assessment in a basic project course was given with consideration for each step, that is, set up of program outcomes which are highly related to the course, selection of assessment tools such as written examination and project-based assessment, set up of assessment criteria, implementation of course-embedded assessment, and analysis of results. The proposed method is expected to be a good example to construct the whole strategy for course-embedded assessment in Computer Science & Information Engineering.

Assessing knowledge change in computer science

The purpose of this study was to assess structural knowledge change across a two-week workshop designed to provide high-school teachers with training in Java and Object Oriented Programming. Both before and after the workshop, teachers assigned relatedness ratings to pairs of key concepts regarding Java and Object Oriented Programming. Their ratings were submitted to the Pathfinder network-scaling algorithm, which uses distance estimates to generate an individual's knowledge structure representation composed of nodes that are connected by links. Results showed that significant change in teachers' knowledge structure occurred during the workshop, both in terms of individual teacher networks and their averaged networks. Moreover, these changes were significantly related to performance in the workshop. The results of this study suggest several implications for teaching and assessment in computer science.

Need Assessment of Computer Science and Engineering Graduates

This case study considered the syllabus of the first and second year studies in computer science. The aim of the study was to reveal which topics covered in the syllabi were really needed during the following years of study or in working life. The program that was assessed in the study was a Masters program in computer science and engineering at a university of technology in Finland. The necessity of different subjects for the advanced studies (years 3 – 5) and for working life was assessed using four content analyses: (a) the course catalog of the institution where this study was carried out, (b) employment reports that were attached to the applications for internship credits, (c) masters theses, and (d) job advertisements in a newspaper. The results of the study imply that the necessity of physics for the advanced study and work was very low compared to the extent to which it was studied. On the other hand, the necessity for mathematics was moderate, and it had remained quite steady during the period 1989 – 2002. The most necessary computer science topic was programming. Also telecommunications and networking was needed often, whereas theoretical computer science was needed quite rarely.

Interactive Performance Assessment in Computer Science: The Advanced Placement Computer Science (APCS) Practice System

The Advanced Placement Computer Science (APCS) Practice System is an instructional assessment device meant to give students practice in, and feedback on, elementary programming tasks. The system includes a programming editor, item pool, two feedback facilities, and electronic portfolio tools. Students write Pascal procedures using the editor, test them with system-generated data, and, for selected problems, can call for a nonsyntactic analysis that produces a partial-credit score and a diagnostic commentary. Results of solution testing and nonsyntactic analysis are recorded by the portfolio tools. This article describes the system's background, instructional model, feedback facilities, and potential uses.

Assessment in computer science (abstract)

No abstract available.