Programming Course Research Articles

Unlocking Potential: Assessing Motivation, Learning Strategies, and Cognitive Load in Flipped Learning during Online Teaching in Higher Education

Flipped learning has become the focus in many educational contexts especially with the integration of technological tools in learning space for the last decade. In flipped learning, learners perform surface learning at home, whereas deep learning such as problem-solving, critical thinking exercises etc. is covered in the classroom which potentially increases motivation and satisfaction of learners. Cognitive load, the assumed load of the working memory caused by the processing of tasks, has also attracted attention in online learning settings which pose different processing demands. This study took place in the extraordinary settings of education during the Covid-19 pandemic which required online education for all education levels. A fourth-year course of an ELT program was delivered through a flipped learning approach during online education. Learners’ motivation, use of learning strategies, satisfaction and cognitive load levels were calculated at the end of the intervention and their perceptions regarding the experience were investigated through an open-ended questionnaire. The results showed that their motivation and satisfaction levels were quite high as well as their strategy uses whereas cognitive load levels were comparatively low. Inferential statistics showed that relationships exist between and among the motivation, learning strategies and cognitive load at various levels. Motivation emerged to be a significant predictor of course satisfaction whereas time spent for the flipped lectures predicted course achievement. Learners’ perceptions of flipped learning process were generally positive while they also articulated some drawbacks of it like instructional tools-related and individual learner-related problems.

Advancing Disaster Resilience: The Ethical Dimensions of Adaptability and Adaptive Leadership in Public Service Organizations

Organizations are perpetually challenged to adapt and evolve in the increasingly complex and unpredictable public service landscape. Using two international case studies from Australia and New Zealand, this research examines the critical role of adaptive leadership in fostering resilience within public service entities, focusing on the integral role of ethics in disaster response. The research is grounded in the theory of adaptive leadership, which posits that contemporary organizational challenges require leadership to encourage adaptation and learning. The study explores how adaptive leadership, intertwined with ethical practices, contributes to creating resilient public service organizations capable of withstanding and evolving through crises, constant changes, and adversities. Through a detailed examination of the case studies affecting the general public and ethical considerations, the research unravels the intricacies of public administrators’ ethical dilemmas, concluding with reflections on the implications for public service ethics, integrity, and public trust. The study not only elucidates the symbiotic relationship between adaptive leadership and ethics in fostering organizational resilience but also charts a course for future policy formulation and leadership training programs, underscoring the indispensable role of ethical governance in navigating crises.

Improving Student Engagement and Success in Computer Programming Courses through Social Learning in Online Environments

This paper addresses the necessity to enhance the effectiveness of online learning (OL) environments by examining the influence of social interactions on learner motivation, engagement, and success, specifically focusing on online computer science education (CSE). Acknowledging the limitations of peer-to-peer and learner-to-teacher interactions on online platforms, this paper delves into the potential of social learning (SL) organized through learner groups, communities, or networks to significantly enrich the learning experience. To test the hypothesis that SL positively impacts student outcomes, an experiment was conducted with 49 engineering students divided into two groups. The first group undertook an object-oriented programming course in C++ using the Moodle platform, while the second group, in addition to the online course, participated in asynchronous group activities through forums and synchronous interactions via chat. The results reveal a notable positive impact of SL on student outcomes, with participants in the second group reporting higher satisfaction levels and achieving superior results compared to those in the first group. The findings underscore the significance of integrating social interaction into OL environments, with potential implications for enhancing the overall quality of education and student performance in society.

Programming Fun(damentals): Using commercial video games to teach basic coding to adult learners

The acquisition of computational thinking and coding skills is of special significance in helping adult learners keep pace with a new context where those skills are required for many parts of the workforce. However, there is an agreement in the scientific literature that important challenges exist, such as keeping student engagement and the requirement of developing problem-solving skills, and not just learning the code syntax. The inclusion of digital Game-Based Learning (GBL) has shown great potential. To better understand how it can be helpful to adult learners in STEM degrees, a study was conducted on the application of two very popular commercial video games in different introductory programming courses at an online university, during the introduction of basic programming topics (CS1). The methods combined a descriptive qualitative and a quantitative approach, using a reflective journals and questionnaires, which helped students consider and express their experiences, how they interacted with the games, how the games helped them better understand the topics, and realize their personal progress and potential. Results showed that the use of these games as educational resources had a positive impact in their engagement and sense of self-efficacy, but only if some important instructional considerations are taken into account.

Diving into the Future: Unravelling the Impact of Flowgorithm and Discord Fusion on Algorithm and Programming Courses and Fostering Computational Thinking

Diving into the Future: Unravelling the Impact of Flowgorithm and Discord Fusion on Algorithm and Programming Courses and Fostering Computational Thinking

AI-Lab: A Framework for Introducing Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools in Computer Programming Courses

AI-Lab: A Framework for Introducing Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools in Computer Programming Courses

Cracking the code: An evidence-based approach to teaching Python in an undergraduate earth science setting

Scientific programming has become increasingly essential for manipulating, visualizing, and interpreting the large volumes of data acquired in earth science research. Yet few discipline-specific instructional approaches have been documented and assessed for their effectiveness in equipping geoscience undergraduate students with coding skills. Here we report on an evidence-based redesign of an introductory Python programming course, taught fully remotely in 2020 in the School of Oceanography at the University of Washington. Key components included a flipped structure, activities infused with active learning, an individualized final research project, and a focus on creating an accessible learning environment. Cloud-based notebooks were used to teach fundamental Python syntax as well as functions from packages widely used in climate-related disciplines. By analyzing quantitative and qualitative data from surveys, online learning platforms, student work, assessments, and a focus group, we conclude that the instructional design facilitated learning and supported self-guided scientific inquiry. Students with less or no prior exposure to coding achieved similar success as peers with more experience, an outcome likely mediated by higher engagement with course resources. We believe that the constructivist approach to teaching introductory programming and data literacy that we present could be broadly applicable across the earth sciences and in other scientific domains.

Exploration of Teaching Reform in C Language Programming Course under the Background of New Engineering

Exploration of Teaching Reform in C Language Programming Course under the Background of New Engineering

Extracting typing game keystroke patterns as potential indicators of programming aptitude

This study attempted to determine whether individuals possess programming aptitude solely based on keystroke information from typing games where participants type computer programs. The participants were students enrolled in university programming courses. The results indicated that using typing speed alone as an indicator achieved an accuracy of 0.71, while employing a custom machine learning model achieved an accuracy of 0.83. Additionally, it was found that individuals with programming aptitude tended to type the enter key relatively slower compared to other keys.

An Instructional Design for Maker Education Courses in Teacher Preparation Programs

Maker-based education holds promise as a method to support students’ development of essential skills and content knowledge across the curriculum. Over a five-year period, the authors developed and iterated on an experiential instructional design specifically designed to afford educators with diverse academic backgrounds and divergent career goals not only the opportunity to learn about maker-based teaching and learning but also to experience a maker-based learning environment. This design case begins by outlining the challenges the designers faced. Then, it describes in detail the instructional design and concludes with reflections on the process, which have informed us as a team of designers.

Multi-method integrated experimental teaching reform of a programming course based on the OBE-CDIO model under the background of engineering education

Under the background of engineering education professional certification, the Outcome-Based Education (OBE) education concept of “output-oriented” has been paid more and more attention. The traditional experimental teaching of programming course often focuses on the teaching of theoretical knowledge, and lacks the cultivation of students’ practical ability and innovative spirit. Engineering education puts forward new requirements for the teaching mode of program design course. The experimental teaching of programming courses requires further reform and innovation to cultivate high-quality technical engineering talents with good social responsibility, teamwork ability, and innovative thinking ability. Guided by the theory of engineering education combined with the educational philosophy of Conceive–Design–Implement–Operate (CDIO) and OBE, this paper carried out the reform of experimental teaching of programming course among students majoring in computer science and technology and information security. This teaching reform aimed to better cultivate students’ practical ability, innovation ability, and knowledge-integrated application ability, considering the course concept, course design, course implementation, and course operation, and exploring the practice of teaching process reconfiguration, teaching content organization, and teaching method integration. This multi-integration experimental teaching reform was found to fully mobilize students’ learning enthusiasm, tap into students’ potential, greatly improve students’ comprehensive practical ability, effectively achieve course goals, and lay a solid foundation for subsequent professional course learning. This teaching mode has been practically applied in current experimental teaching and is widely recognized by students, providing a reference for improving teaching quality.

A modular inquiry-based semester theme that integrates data science education and bioinformatics in protein structure function courses.

With an exponential growth in biological data and computing power, familiarity with bioinformatics has become a demanding and popular skill set both in academia and industry. There is a need to increase students' competencies to be able to take on bioinformatic careers, to get them familiarized with scientific professions in data science and the academic training required to pursue them, in a field where demand outweighs the supply. Here we implemented a set of bioinformatic activities into a protein structure and function course of a graduate program. Concisely, students were given hands-on opportunities to explore the bioinformatics-based analyses of biomolecular data and structural biology via a semester-long case study structured as inquiry-based bioinformatics exercises. Towards the end of the term, the students also designed and presented an assignment project that allowed them to document the unknown protein that they identified using bioinformatic knowledge during the term. The post-module survey responses and students' performances in the lab module imply that it furthered an in-depth knowledge of bioinformatics. Despite having not much prior knowledge of bioinformatics prior to taking this module students indicated positive feedback. The students got familiar with cross-indexed databases that interlink important data about proteins, enzymes as well as genes. The essential skillsets honed by this research-based bioinformatic pedagogical approach will empower students to be able to leverage this knowledge for their future endeavours in the bioinformatics field.

Exploring the role of a microlearning instructional approach in an introductory database programming course: an exploratory case study

Exploring the role of a microlearning instructional approach in an introductory database programming course: an exploratory case study

Sustaining Undergraduate Students’ Metacognitive Regulatory Actions During Online Flipped Programming Course

This research explores how metacognitive strategies influence the metacognitive awareness of undergraduate students enrolled in an online flipped programming course. It specifically focuses on regulatory actions crucial for success in programming instruction and distance education settings. The primary objective is to contribute to the existing literature by investigating the implementation of online flipped programming courses that integrate metacognitive-oriented approaches to support students' metacognitive regulatory actions. The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. A total of 29 university students enrolled in programming courses participated in the study, engaging with instructional videos provided before each 10-week lesson. They were administered the Metacognitive Awareness Scale and supplementary forms designed to assess their metacognitive awareness and regulatory actions. A detailed coding scheme was developed to analyze students' metacognitive regulation activities during programming lessons. The study also evaluated the impact of supportive activities on students' metacognitive awareness. While no statistically significant difference was found in the students' metacognitive awareness through quantitative analysis, qualitative data revealed that activities supporting metacognition significantly enhanced students' comprehension of the programming content.

Systematic approach of measuring program outcomes of management postgraduate program

This study aimed to develop a simplified approach for measuring the outcomes of academic programs. To achieve this, postgraduate management programs offered by various Indian institutions have been selected. Program outcomes (POs) and course outcomes (COs) are key measurement constructs. The course assessment strategy is tailored to the nature of each course, which is categorized into four distinct groups. Course outcomes (COs) of continual evaluation courses are measured through developed rubrics. This study concludes that a systematic assessment process and well-designed measurement tools are important for measuring program outcomes (POs) of academic programs such as management postgraduate programs. We recommend our model of measuring learning outcomes for all institutions, where the management postgraduate programs offered courses are evaluated on three components: faculty assessment, mid-semester assessment, and end-semester assessment. This process ensures a comprehensive and accurate measurement of program outcomes.

Training college music students to be digitally literate: A public musicology certificate in action

AbstractThis chapter is a case study of the first and only public musicology program in the United States and how the program's courses embed the teaching of digital literacy. Suggestions for adapting and implementing some of the activities in disciplines outside of music are provided.

Research on applying flipped classroom and digital learning to high school programming courses

The objective of this study is to investigate how flipped classrooms affect education in high school programs. Although many studies have pointed out that flipped teaching can improve the learning experience and can evaluate learning effectiveness through classroom activities, it may also make it difficult for teachers to grasp students' learning status and behavior, and flipped teaching is used in high school programming course recognition and satisfaction Empirical research is somewhat lacking. Accordingly, this research applies the flipped teaching method to high school programming courses and gathers data on students who watch instructional videos. Through research data analysis, it is found that 51% to 93% of students will actively watch the designated instructional videos before class, and some students will repeat Watch the video (1.3 to 1.8 times), and most students will watch it again during the group project design. In addition, most students have the habit of adjusting the video speed to self-regulate their learning (1.4 to 1.5 times). The questionnaire results indicate that most students prefer the flipped classroom learning method (3.48 to 4.01 points). Through this study, we understand the students' mode of digital learning in programming courses, and we know that flipped classrooms can improve the learning satisfaction of programming courses.

Emotional awareness for self and others and empathic abilities in clinical depression during acute illness and recovery

BackgroundThe present longitudinal investigation had two major goals. First, we intended to clarify whether depressed patients are characterized by impairments of emotional awareness for the self and the other during acute illness and whether these impairments diminish in the course of an inpatient psychiatric treatment program. Previous research based on the performance measure Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale (LEAS) provided inconsistent findings concerning emotional self-awareness in clinical depression. Second, we investigated whether cognitive and affective empathic abilities change from acute illness to recovery in depressed patients.MethodsFifty-eight depressed patients were tested on admission and after 6–8 weeks of inpatient psychiatric treatment. A sample of fifty-three healthy individuals were also examined twice at an interval of 6–8 weeks. The LEAS and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) were administered to assess emotional awareness and empathic abilities. Written texts were digitalized and then analyzed using the electronic scoring program geLEAS, the German electronic Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale.ResultsDepressed patients reported more depressive symptoms than healthy controls and less severe depressive symptomatology at time 2 compared to time 1. Independent of time, depressed individuals tended to show lower geLEAS self scores and had lower geLEAS other scores than healthy individuals. Depressed patients showed higher personal distress scores than healthy individuals at both measurement times. No group differences were observed for the cognitive empathy scales of the IRI (perspective taking and fantasy) and empathic concern, but empathic concern decreased significantly in depressed patients from time 1 to time 2. Empathic abilities as assessed by the IRI were not significantly correlated with emotional awareness for others, neither in the whole sample, nor in the patient and control subsample.ConclusionsDepressed patients seem to be characterized by impairments in emotional awareness of others during acute illness and recovery, but they also tend to show deficits in emotional self-awareness compared to healthy individuals. Self-reported cognitive empathic abilities seem to be at normal levels in depressed patients, but their heightened self-focused affective empathy may represent a vulnerability factor for depressive disorders.

Blended pedagogy for computer programming language

In the face of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the hybrid teaching model has garnered significant attention for its combination of the depth of traditional education with the convenience of distance learning. Focusing on the domain of computer programming language instruction, this study innovatively designs a hybrid teaching strategy aimed at fully exploiting the flexibility of its teaching design and the variety of pedagogical approaches. The strategy integrates face-to-face teaching with online autonomous learning, incorporating project-based teaching methodologies and immediate feedback mechanisms to facilitate active student engagement and deep learning. Through a year-long practice in a C++ programming course, encompassing 68 students, the study empirically validates the effectiveness of the hybrid teaching approach. It not only demonstrates remarkable educational outcomes, enhancing the quality of programming instruction and student satisfaction with their learning experience, but also employs Bayesian analysis to delve into the relationship between learning trajectories and students’ sense of self-efficacy. By focusing on key indicators during the learning process, such as the timeliness and quality of online learning, laboratory work, and project assignments, the study then utilizes Bayesian models to directly assess the impact of these learning behavior metrics on students’ perceived self-efficacy. The findings reveal that students with outstanding academic achievements exhibit higher levels of self-efficacy, confirming that academic performance can reasonably reflect teaching effectiveness and provide a quantifiable basis for assessing individual learning progress. Consequently, this research not only contributes a novel strategy to computer programming education practice but also offers a valuable reference for the application of hybrid teaching models in other disciplines. Furthermore, it promotes in-depth contemplation on post-pandemic innovations in teaching modes and issues of educational equity, laying a solid foundation for constructing a more adaptive and inclusive future education system.

Exploration on Task-driven Teaching Design of Industrial Robot Operation and Programming Course in Secondary Vocational Schools

Currently, the national goal for the training of talents in vocational colleges and universities is to cultivate high-quality skilled talents with powerful practical ability, good thinking, and in line with the needs of the manufacturing industry. For the industrial robot operation and programming, which is a comprehensive practical training course with both theory and practice, focusing on the improvement of students' Introductory operation, offline programming ability, and familiarity with the use of network communication systems and other learning objectives, it is proposed to apply the "task-driven teaching method" throughout the whole teaching process to fully mobilize students' initiative and guide them to analyze the problems and improve their practical skills from different perspectives. The article focuses on the requirements of the course and discusses how to improve the student's capacity to apply theory in practice. The article focuses on the specific teaching design ideas of the task-driven teaching method and the multi-dimensional evaluation and assessment mode in this course in combination with the requirements of the course.