Computer Science Courses Research Articles

Teaching Awareness of Ambiguity in Data

The widespread and growing use of analytics has highlighted the need for more data savvy students. One recently identified aspect of data literacy is the awareness of ambiguity in data. This paper outlines a method and initial results for raising awareness of data ambiguity in a short, one lesson, active learning format suitable for business or computer science courses. The paper also includes a summary of prior research on ambiguity, data literacy taxonomies, implications, and suggestions for further research.

The Exploration and Practice of the Construction of Civic Politics in Computer Science Courses under the Perspective of “Three-Whole Education”

Taking the computer application technology professional group of Guangdong Innovation Technology College as an example, we study the problems of computer professional group in the construction of curriculum thinking politics, firstly, we explore the basic requirements of curriculum thinking politics from the perspective of “ Three-Whole Education “, then we explore the value of curriculum thinking politics, and then we study the top design and bottom implementation of talent training of professional group from many aspects. Then, we will explore the value of curriculum thinking and politics, and then carry out research from various aspects such as top-level design and bottom-level implementation of professional group talent training. We will build the construction pattern of “Three-Whole Education”, and combine with the construction of professional groups to build the construction pattern of the curriculum of professional groups in terms of talent training objectives, thinking and political objectives, thinking and political content, etc., so as to promote the construction of the curriculum of the provincial-level professional group of computer application technology in our university and realize the educational goal of cultivating people with moral character.

Lessons from a Blended Learning Implementation – What to do and what not to do?

Blended learning has taken its importance due to the turbulent ripple in teaching learning process in the past few years. Increase in online teaching expertise among the instructors has paved the way for developing online repositories and thus leading to blended mode offering of courses. But there exists a question “What is the pedagogy for every online repository to be converted to blended learning?” There must be few dos and don’ts in every implementation of any new pedagogical techniques. This research attempts to find a new pedagogical framework for effective implementation of blended learning into the regular curriculum after identifying appropriate learning method. The research is conducted as quantitative research with surveys obtained from students and faculty of the host institution after the first cycle of blended learning implementation in a computer science course. 40 students participated in the learning and recorded their responses through an online survey. Observations from the survey are analyzed in the perspective of different factors of blended learning with statistical analysis and Natural Language Processing (NLP) methods. From the study, it has been inferred that students recognize blended learning as an innovative pedagogical technique provided with factors that motivates and demotivates them. From these observations, suitable recommendations are made in terms of what to do and what not to do and a framework for effective implementation of the blended mode of learning is proposed. Keywords— Blended learning; Learning framework; New Pedagogy ; Student expectation; Faculty expertise

Research on the necessity of implementing devops technologies in the Training of Future Computer Science Teachers

The article examines the problem of implementing DevOps technologies in the training of future Computer Science teachers. This problem has arisen due to the development and expansion of digital technologies, as well as increased stakeholder requirements for future Computer Science teachers. The current state of DevOps technologies and their impact on the process of informatisation and digitalisation of society were studied using scientific methods of analysis and systematisation of scientific publications. The professional community of IT specialists actively implements and popularizes DevOps technologies, and the analysis of publications showed that there are almost no educational programs available for the study of DevOps. Although educational programs in the specialty "Secondary Education (Informatics)" were separately noted, the content of these programs do not usually involve the study of DevOps elements. However, modern directions for improving the content of the school Computer Science course involve improving its practical orientation, and DevOps technologies can help in this regard. The research identified some substantive components of DevOps technologies that can be implemented in the training of informatics teachers, namely: infrastructure as code, configuration management, containers, container management, infrastructure security, deployment pipeline, the architecture of microservices, post-production, and domain-specific DevOps features. It is important to note that the learning of DevOps technologies by future Computer Science teachers should be based on the needs of stakeholders. Informatics teachers do not need to master all technical and technological aspects of implementing and using DevOps technologies, but the necessary level of professional competencies must be formed for successful employment. The results of the conducted ascertainment experiment confirmed the necessity of studying DevOps technologies for future Computer Science teachers. Stakeholders chose the most relevant DevOps technologies for a modern Computer Science teacher, such of the infrastructure as code, containers, and container management.

Enhancing student experience: A vision for the DMI university student app

The DMI University Student App will be a mobile-based software application designed to run on Android mobile phones. It will be used by potential students and students of DMI-St. John the Baptist University, as it will provide complete details of colleges, such as tuition and accommodation fees, eligibility criteria, campus placement opportunities, accommodation facilities, scholarship schemes, campus support services, rules, and regulations, etc. It will help students select various courses in engineering, social work, computer science, and business administration at DMI-St. John the Baptist University based on factors like qualifying exam details, technical expertise, and other details. The application will prepare the course list, which will be filtered based on parameters like institution ranking, department or field, fee limits, and chosen location. This application will help students find the most appropriate course in the field of their interest that corresponds to their location.

Practitioner Perspectives on COVID-19’s Impact on Computer Science Education Among High Schools Serving Students from Lower and Higher Income Families

Research Problem. Computer science (CS) education researchers conducting studies that target high school students have likely seen their studies impacted by COVID-19. Interpreting research findings impacted by COVID-19 presents unique challenges that will require a deeper understanding as to how the pandemic has affected underserved and underrepresented students studying or unable to study computing. Research Question. Our research question for this study was: In what ways has the high school computer science educational ecosystem for students been impacted by COVID-19, particularly when comparing schools based on relative socioeconomic status of a majority of students? Methodology. We used an exploratory sequential mixed methods study to understand the types of impacts high school CS educators have seen in their practice over the past year using the CAPE theoretical dissaggregation framework to measure schools’ Capacity to offer CS, student Access to CS education, student Participation in CS, and Experiences of students taking CS. Data Collection Procedure. We developed an instrument to collect qualitative data from open-ended questions, then collected data from CS high school educators ( n = 21) and coded them across CAPE. We used the codes to create a quantitative instrument. We collected data from a wider set of CS high school educators ( n = 185), analyzed the data, and considered how these findings shape research conducted over the last year. Findings. Overall, practitioner perspectives revealed that capacity for CS Funding, Policy & Curriculum in both types of schools grew during the pandemic, while the capacity to offer physical and human resources decreased. While access to extracurricular activities decreased, there was still a significant increase in the number of CS courses offered. Fewer girls took CS courses and attendance decreased. Student learning and engagement in CS courses were significantly impacted, while other noncognitive factors like interest in CS and relevance of technology saw increases. Practitioner perspectives also indicated that schools serving students from lower-income families had (1) a greater decrease in the number of students who received information about CS/CTE pathways; (2) a greater decrease in the number of girls enrolled in CS classes; (3) a greater decrease in the number of students receiving college credit for dual-credit CS courses; (4) a greater decrease in student attendance; and (5) a greater decrease in the number of students interested in taking additional CS courses. On the flip-side, schools serving students from higher income families had significantly higher increases in the number of students interested in taking additional CS courses.

The impact of gender roles and previous exposure on major choice, perceived competence, and belonging: a qualitative study of students in computer science and bioinformatics classes

ABSTRACT Background and Context While biology has strong female representation, computer science is the least gender equitable of the STEM fields. A better understanding of the barriers that keep women out of computational fields will help overcome those barriers to create a more diverse workforce. Objective We investigated the complexities that influence students’ major choice and their sense of belonging. We were particularly interested in students adjacent to computer science and differences by gender. Method We conducted semi-structured interviews of nineteen students from computer science or bioinformatics courses. We used inductive thematic analysis that included iterative readings of interview transcripts, line-by-line coding, and final theme selection. Findings Most students described pressures stemming from traditional gender roles as they chose their major, but specific pressures differed by gender. Men were more likely to report early exposure to their major field, and women noted feeling behind without those early experiences. This hurt the women’s sense of belonging, as did having few female peers. Implications Increasing early exposure to coding may increase women's representation and sense of belonging in computational fields. Women from contexts with emphasis on traditional gender roles may be drawn to computational fields if they see opportunities for flexible positions.

Ascertaining the Online Learning Behaviors and Formative Assessments Affecting Students’ Academic Performance during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of a Computer Science Course

Prior education research has focused on using learning analytics to predict the academic performance of Massive Online Learning Courses (MOOCs) and e- learning courses in universities. There is limited research on online learning that has been transitioned from physical classes and that has continued to use active learning approaches in an online environment. This study aims to determine the variables affecting students’ academic performance for a computing course in a research-intense university during the COVID-19 pandemic. Variables that are indicative of self-regulated learning such as time management, frequency of accessing learning materials and the Learning Management System (LMS), participation in assessment activities and discussions, and the results of formative assessments were extracted from the LMS reports and log files to predict the students’ total marks and final exam results. The findings revealed that good time management and active participation are important for academic success. The results also supported the model for the early prediction of summative assessment performance using formative assessment results. Additionally, this study concludes that the gap in predictive power between formative assessment results and online learning behaviors is small. This research is considered unique because it demonstrates predictive models for students’ academic success for an institution that was forced to transition from physical to online learning. It highlights the importance of self-regulated learning behavior and formative assessments in the contemporary era.

The features of game mechanics use in teaching computer science for the development of creative thinking of students

Problem statement. One of the priority tasks of modern society is the creation of conditions conducive to the upbringing and development of a creative personality. The computer science course has a didactic potential in terms of the formation of initiative, independence, imagination, the ability to set and solve problems. The presented study aimed at substantiating the effectiveness of game mechanics use in teaching computer science to solve the problem associated with the need to develop the creative thinking of students. Methodology . The mechanics “Achievement,” “Reckoning on trust,” “Fun once - always fun,” “User progress” are implemented with game elements and methods in the study of theoretical computer science. Resources of digital services (interactive whiteboards, random selection generators) are used for gamification. The base of the experiment is a secondary school with in-depth study of individual subjects in the Stulovo village (Slobodskoy district, Kirov region). The study covered 74 students of the seventh grade (64% - girls and 36% - boys). The average age of the respondents is 13 years. Statistical processing of the results was performed using Pearson's chi-squared test. Results. During the game, students study theoretical material, solve a system of creative and non-standard tasks on the topic “Measurement of information.” For each game mechanic, a goal, tasks, sets of rules and restrictions are defined. Statistically significant differences in the qualitative changes that have taken place in the system according to the levels of development of creative thinking are identified. Conclusion . The features of the presented version of the application of game mechanics in teaching computer science in terms of the development of creative thinking are described: taking into account the age characteristics of students when formulating message texts, inclusion of digital services, combination of oral and written speech with interaction on a computer network.

SP - An Improved Android Mobile Application for the Course System Programming – A New Way of Teaching the Course during Pandemic

SysPro is an android mobile application for System Programming course of Third Year Computer Science and Engineering. The old version of this app with name “SysPro” is available on Google Playstore with very good statistics of total downloads - 5000+ and rating - 4.6. This course is core course of Computer Science and Engineering and base for the course Compiler Construction. So during pandemic for effective teaching of this course, the SysPro app is updated by modifying the content as well as adding new contents to existing app. So this SysPro app is modified and renamed SP (System Programming) app by adding more content and made available on Google Playstore with the name “SP App for System Programming” for benefit of the students. This app is also having rating – 5.0. This app contains Notes, PPT, Question Bank – Multiple choice questions as well as subjective questions, Handouts, Programs, and Quiz. In the new version, handouts are added which can be used by students during the laboratory session for implementing the problem statement of this course. In current study, one group post-test method is used to check the effectiveness of this tool on 72 students of Third Year Computer Science and Engineering. Statistical analysis using t-Test is performed on the marks obtained by students in Test. The t-Test shows that test result is statistical significant. Also the feedback is conducted to know the students’ perception about this new version of app using Likert’s Five Scale. Keywords - SysPro, System Programming (SP), Android Mobile Application, Handouts, Program, Likert’s Five Scale

An exploration of course and cohort communication spaces in Discord, Teams, and Moodle

This research examined the impact of supplementing a learning management system, Moodle, with communication tools, Discord and Teams, to support communication in blended and distance undergraduate courses in computer science, information technology, mathematics and statistics at a New Zealand university with well-established use of Moodle. Nineteen students participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings show that adding Discord or Teams increases information and knowledge exchange and helps students to connect with peers and teachers in their courses. Teams was beneficial particularly in settings with formal group work. Discord, which enables both students and staff to set up additional communication channels that are not restricted to course enrolments, was instrumental in connecting students across year levels with peers and alumni. This enabled discussions on course selection, career options and disciplinary topics beyond the course curriculum. Importantly, these beyond-course communication spaces nurtured belonging to wider discipline and study communities. The research establishes the importance of the increased levels of communication by highlighting the effects on student learning and connections to others. Looking beyond the specific tools, the level of formality and the degree of student co-ownership are identified as key factors in supporting the within- and beyond-course communication spaces. Implications for practice or policy: Learning management systems provide valuable course support but do not meet all learning and teaching communication needs, partly due to their formal and university-controlled nature. Educators and students benefit from using strong chat tools with improved information and knowledge exchange. Both educators and students experience enhanced belonging when using collaboration and chat tools. Students value Discord’s informality and student-led characteristics. Educators who use Teams to support formal group work must carefully manage integration with Moodle.

High School Course-Completion Trajectories and College Pathways for All: A Transcript Analysis Study on Elective Computer Science Courses

Whereas researchers regard high school math and science coursework as the best indicator of college readiness for students in the United States, computer science coursework and its relationship to college attendance, particularly for minoritized students, have not received due attention despite its root in the mathematical and scientific reasoning ability. We examined students’ high school course completion patterns across subjects and grade levels with a special focus on elective computer science courses and whether the coursework pattern transitions worked differently for minoritized students in Texas, USA. Latent profile analysis and latent transition analysis revealed multiple patterns of coursework, including Regular, Trailing, and Computer Science-Intensive. However, high school students seemed to attempt computer science courses with an experimental attitude. High school girls, low-income, and Latinx and African American students were less likely to complete computer science courses, despite demonstrating a similar coursework pattern in the previous year. Similarly, students with limited English proficiency, those eligible for free- or reduced-price lunch programs, and Native American students systematically have a lower chance to attend college, despite sufficient academic preparation in high school. Findings highlight the challenges minoritized students face and how students approach elective computer science courses in high school.

Exploring intrinsic cognitive load in the programming process: a two dimensional approach based on element interactivity

ABSTRACT The aim of this explanatory study is to identify the causes of intrinsic cognitive load in programming process. For this purpose, a method based on two dimensions; programming knowledge types (syntactic, semantic, and strategic) and programming constructs was proposed. The proposed method was tested with high school students enrolled in Computer Science course dealing with Python programming language. The results suggested that the difficulties determined by the proposed method were considerably useful to estimate the cognitive load experienced by the students. The results also confirmed that when the errors and the difficulties encountered in the programming process increased, the element interactivity in programming tasks increased in terms of syntactic, semantic and strategic knowledge as well. We hope that this study will contribute to the efforts for decreasing the cognitive load to facilitate programming learning process.

Students’ expert-like attitudes in calculus and introductory computer science courses with active-learning pedagogy

ABSTRACT Background and Context Computer Science has traditionally had poor student retention, especially among women. Prior work has found that student attitudes are a key factor to retention, especially with “weedout” courses such as Calculus. Objective To determine how student attitudes towards CS 1 and Calculus change over active-learning courses with explicit real-world connections, and the implications for at-risk groups in CS, including women and students without prior experience in CS. Methods We use two validated instruments, the Computer Attitudes Survey (CAS) and the Mathematics Attitudes and Perceptions Survey (MAPS), both of which derive from the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS), to compare student attitudes in Calculus I and CS 1. Our analysis includes 109 students for the CAS and 73 for the MAPS. Findings CS 1 students began the course with CAS scores higher than observed in prior work, and post-course CAS scores were even higher overall. Calculus students started the course with MAPS scores in line with prior work, but unlike prior work we find that overall MAPS scores did not decline during the semester. Women’s reported interest in math increased significantly during the semester. Students with prior computer science experience began CS 1 with higher overall CAS scores, while students with prior calculus experience began Calculus with similar overall MAPS scores but much higher reported interest. Implications Difference in student attitudes between the courses may show why Calculus acts a “weedout” course for Computer Science. This highlights the importance of instructors demonstrating the usefulness of Calculus.

Building a gender-inclusive secondary computer science program: teacher led and stakeholder supported

ABSTRACT Background Despite ongoing calls for prioritizing K-12 computer science (CS) education, an enduring gender gap exists. Objective We explored one high school CS program where female participation was consistently higher than state averages to better understand how the program was developed. Method Using a case study method, data were collected over three-months through interviews, observations, course documents, student reflections, and researcher reflections. Constant comparative analysis was employed to analyze data throughout and following data generation. Findings Recruitment and teacher support were key practices. Recruitment practices included letter writing campaigns and recruiting from introductory CS courses. Teacher support came from counselors, administrators, and other teachers. While the CS program was consistently more gender-inclusive, the focus when building the program had been on supporting all students, not only female students. Implications Recruitment should be active and purposeful, but using academic indicators for targeted recruitment campaigns can limit student exposure. Teachers need support for broadening participation, particularly from counselors and administrators, who must also be aware of what CS is and their role in these efforts. Opportunities for coteaching within CS programs can be beneficial for growth. Overall, broadening participation must be a holistic effort, supported by school-wide stakeholders, not only CS teachers.

Understanding the perceived pedagogical value of JazzQuiz in interactive hybrid learning among university students: a technology acceptance analysis

ABSTRACT To address the problem of poor efficacy in hybrid learning in higher education, this study conducted a mix-method explanatory case study with structural equation modelling to examine a new construct, “perceived pedagogical value” (PPV), and its relationship with the core constructs of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. This study recruited 246 undergraduate students from a year 2 computer science course at an English Medium Instruction University in China to investigate their perceptions of using JazzQuiz for interactive hybrid learning using an online survey and semi-structured interviews. One of the key findings suggests that students who have a deeper understanding of technology’s pedagogical value (i.e. higher PPV) are more likely to accept and use the technology with reduced efforts through five dimensions. Our contribution to the literature is threefold: (1) the new construct, PPV, extends our understanding of the UTAUT model for interactive hybrid learning; (2) the extended model highlights the role of student PPV in improving learning efficacy; (3) the five dimensions of how PPV influences technology acceptance, and student academic performance clarify the underlying mechanisms of effective interactive hybrid learning. Further studies are needed to test the new model in different contexts.

Do project-based learning, hands-on activities, and flipped teaching enhance student's learning of introductory theoretical computing classes?

The need for computer science (CS) education, especially computer network education, is increasing. However, the challenges of teaching students with diverse backgrounds and engaging them in hands-on activities to apply theories into practices exist in CS education. The study addressed the challenges by using project-based learning (PBL) and flipped teaching approaches to cover both theoretical and hands-on learning aspects in CS education. This study aims to demonstrate the design and development journey of a CS course and examine whether using PBL, hands-on activities, and flipped teaching approaches improves students’ learning. The design-based research study was conducted in an undergraduate CS course from 2014 to 2020 at a midwestern university. The design and development trajectory in the six years were described. The descriptive statistics were used to analyze the trends of the course evaluation results, and ANOVA were conducted to examine whether the evaluation differs from each semester. The results indicated that using PBL, hands-on activities, and flipped teaching increased students’ learning motivation and their perceptions of their learning. Combining PBL and flipped teaching appropriately can enhance students’ learning motivation and perceived learning in CS education, but further research is needed to examine how each individual intervention influence students’ learning motivation and learning outcomes.

Emergency Remote Teaching Based on Education 4.0: an Experience Report about the Methodology adopted in the Experimental HCI Class

In Education 4.0, the professor is challenged to teach more than curriculum content, prompting the development of 21st-Century competencies and skills. Thus, this paper presents the Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) methodology used in the Experimental Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on Education 4.0. This class was taught to final year students of the undergraduate courses in Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics and graduate students in Informatics at a University. The teaching methodology adopted in this discipline sought to develop skills considered relevant for a researcher, such as recognizing research problems and learning new processes. The classes were guided by the Flex learning model, which consisted of synchronous and asynchronous classes. Thus, the schedule of classes needed to be adapted, including collaborative and diversified activities. We collected the student’s opinions about the teaching methodology and the skills developed in the class and analyzed the results qualitatively. The results showed the difficulties and problems faced by students with the resources and materials in ERT, such as students having internet connectivity problems. However, the teacher made the recorded classes available, and this problem was overcome. The results also show that the deficit of skills, such as autonomy, initiative, and independence, hampered students' performance in ERT. The findings can help other teachers to improve the remote teaching of this class and indicate the possibilities of ERT in the Education 4.0.

High-School Computer Science – Its Effect on the Choice of Higher Education

In a previous publication we examined the connections between high-school computer science (CS) and computing higher education. The results were promising—students who were exposed to computing in high school were more likely to take one of the computing disciplines. However, these correlations were not necessarily causal. Possibly those students who took CS courses, and especially high-level CS courses in high school, were already a priori inclined to pursue computing education. This uncertainty led us to pursue the current research. We aimed at finding those factors that induced students to choose CS at high school and later at higher-education institutes. We present quantitative findings obtained from analyzing freshmen computing students' responses to a designated questionnaire. The findings show that not only did high-school CS studies have a major impact on students’ choice whether to study computing in higher education—it may have also improved their view of the discipline.

The leading methodology for researching ideal methods in an ESP classroom

Studying ESP involves more than simply learning a collection of technical linguistic words; it is about learning how to use English in a particular situation while also including the necessary skills and language learning objectives. The current study aimed to examine the rationale for employing the translation method to teach ESP to third-year computer science students at the University of Tlemcen. This study employed a case study approach. A questionnaire was administered to ESP the teachers in the department of Science and Technology, and classroom observations on third-year students of computer science were conducted. The study's findings indicated that students pursuing third-year computer science courses at Tlemcen University experience a range of difficulties while interacting with professional resources. The proposed translation method in ESP may be incorporated and adapted as an effective technique for ESP teachers and students to improve learners’ language skills related to their academic field. Keywords: Content-based approach; ESP Context; ESP courses; ESP Students.