Understanding Of Programming Concepts Research Articles

Basic Programming Training in Python for Junior High School Students at Al Fitrah Islamic Boarding School

This research discusses the implementation of basic programming training using the Python programming language for junior high school (SMP) students at Al Fitrah Islamic Boarding School. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the training experience and its impact on students' understanding of programming and their proficiency in using Python. The research method used is qualitative with a case study approach. The participants of the study consist of students from the seventh and eighth grades at Al Fitrah Islamic Boarding School. Data was collected through observations, interviews, and tests of students' learning outcomes. The results of the research show that the basic programming training with Python effectively improves students' understanding of programming concepts and develops their computational skills. Additionally, the students demonstrate high interest and enthusiasm in programming activities, indicating strong potential for developing technological skills in the future. This research concludes that basic programming training with Python can be well integrated into the junior high school curriculum to enhance digital literacy and prepare students to face the challenges of an increasingly advanced technological world.

PELATIHAN CODING MENGGUNAKAN SCRATCH KEPADA SISWA-SISWI SD NEGERI 100 MALUKU TENGAH

The purpose of this activity is to explore the effectiveness of coding training using Scratch for students of Elementary School (SD) Negeri 100 Central Maluku. The training method is carried out through a series of sessions designed to introduce basic programming concepts and the use of Scratch as a visual programming tool. This research involved students of SD Negeri 100 Central Maluku as the subject of this activity. Data was collected through pre and post training tests, as well as participatory observation during training sessions. The results showed that coding training using Scratch was effective in increasing students' understanding of programming concepts and their ability to create interactive projects using Scratch. In addition, this training also improves students' critical thinking skills, creativity, and cooperation. These findings provide strong support for the introduction of coding using Scratch at the elementary education level and emphasize the importance of integrating programming into the school curriculum

Reading the Code Between the Lines

Recent work in computer science education shows that natural language plays a pivotal role in learners’ understanding of programming concepts. This study explores metaphorical expressions in four computer programming textbooks and online resources in Swedish upper secondary education. The Metaphor Identification Procedure was applied to identify metaphoric language. The metaphors reveal how expressions such as the ‘program asking’ or the ‘function building’ are structured in relation to embodied experiences. The results show that central concepts are structured in relation to metaphors such as Inanimate Phenomena are Human Agents and Organisation is Physical Structure. Findings also demonstrate differences in the types of metaphors are present in each resource, with Events are Actions communicated most frequently. Lastly, the resources vary in how they describe the role of the programmer: as a ‘constructor’ or ‘instructor’. This implies that the discovered metaphoric structure in textual resources might influence students’ subsequent learning of programming concepts.

Game-Based Learning: Enhancing Student Experience, Knowledge Gain, and Usability in Higher Education Programming Courses

Contributions: This article presents a large-scale study which investigates students’ reaction to game-based learning as part of programming courses. The study focuses on knowledge acquisition, learner experience, and game usability. Background: Despite the rapid growth of the information and communication technologies (ICTs) sector, the lack of engagement with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects and high dropout rates in computer science and engineering majors is linked directly to the large number of unfilled vacancies in the ICT employment market. To tackle one of the underlying causes for this crisis, (i.e., traditional teaching paradigms struggle to attract students to rather abstract and difficult STEM subjects such as programming), innovative technology-enhanced learning solutions are sought. Intended Outcomes: A set of serious games were proposed and designed to promote students’ understanding of programming concepts, improve their confidence, stimulate their interest in STEM and increase engagement with the courses through vivid and appealing scenarios. Application Design: Targeting undergraduate and postgraduate students, the games focused on several key programming topics. They were designed to visualize the programming concepts in illustrative and entertaining scenarios. A comprehensive assessment methodology which includes surveys, observations, and interviews was employed to investigate the impact of the games. Findings: The results show that by using the games in the teaching and learning process all the students have benefited, although differently based on their location, educational backgrounds, and game played. The impact of detailed demographic aspects, such as participants’ use of technology, their initial attitude toward school, and learning STEM on the results needs further study.

Incorporation of Computational Thinking Practices to Enhance Learning in a Programming Course

The development of computational thinking skills is essential for information management, problem-solving, and understanding human behavior. Thus, the aim of the experience described here was to incorporate computational thinking practices to improve learning in a first Python programming course using programming tools such as PSeInt, CodingBat, and the turtle graphic library. A quasi-experimental methodological design was used in which the experimental and control groups are in different academic semesters. Exploratory mixed research was carried out. The control and experimental group consisted of 41 and 36 students, respectively. The results show that with the use of support programming tools, such as PSeInt, CodingBat, Python turtle graphic library, and the incorporation of computational thinking practices, the experimental group students obtained better learning results. It is concluded that student performance and motivation in university programming courses can be improved by using proper tools that help the understanding of programming concepts and the skills development related to computational thinking, such as abstraction and algorithmic thinking.

A web-based model to enhance algorithmic thinking for novice programmers

Algorithmic thinking is considered as one of the important steps toward learning to code for novices in programming education. In this study, algorithmic thinking was promoted by introducing a Problem Analysis Algorithmic Model (PAAM) in an Algorithms and Programming 1 (AP) course. A web-based application is developed to offer the PAAM model in the course. The application includes all teaching topics taught in the AP course. One-way cluster sampling and quantitative research were used in this research study. The impact of the PAAM model on novices was determined by conducting a survey. t-test was performed to analyze the students’ responses. The final exam grades for the last two semesters were compared to examine the effect of the PAAM model on students’ gain in the AP course. Results show that novice programmers appreciated the PAAM model in the AP course teaching processes and learning activities. The model supports novices to understand the programming question requirements (input, process, and output) and promotes algorithmic thinking. Moreover, the model helps students in learning problem-solving skills, understanding programming concepts and structures. It also focuses on students’ cognitive engagement and gain in programming. The model not only impacts positively on students’ gain but it also helps in reducing the attrition rates (failure and dropout) in the course.

A principled approach to designing computational thinking concepts and practices assessments for upper elementary grades

ABSTRACT Background and Context: In today’s increasingly digital world, it is critical that all students learn to think computationally from an early age. Assessments of Computational Thinking (CT) are essential for capturing information about student learning and challenges. When programming is used as a vehicle to foster CT skills, assessment of CT skills needs to measure understanding of programming concepts alongside general problem-solving practices applicable in contexts beyond programming. Objective: In this paper, we discuss the development of and results from separate validated assessments of programming concepts and generic CT practices for 4th-6th grade students. Method: An Evidence-Centered Design approach was used for the development and validation of the assessments, that were used with 15,000 upper elementary students in Hong Kong. Findings: Results from assessment implementation indicate that the assessments worked as designed and reveal student challenges with CT concepts and practices. Implications: These results point to the utility of our assessment as a curricular tool and the need for emphasizing certain CT concepts and practices in future curricular initiatives and teacher professional development.

Mobile serious games: Effects on students’ understanding of programming concepts and attitudes towards information technology

The purpose of this study was to measure the impacts of mobile serious games on fifth grade students’ attitudes towards “Information Technology and Software” course and understanding of programming concepts. For this purpose, a five weeks long study was conducted in a private primary school in Turkey with randomly selected 36 fifth grade students. Twenty-one students that were in the experiment group played the mobile serious game Lightbot, which teaches basic programming concepts, on iPad for three weeks and the control group had their lectures according to the curriculum determined by the Ministry of Education. In order to collect the data from the participants, pretest-posttest design was used. Data analysis results showed a significant increase in the achievements of the students in programming concepts after playing the Lightbot game while control group’s test results showed no increase. However, the treatment with the game did not create any positive impact on the attitudes of the students towards the “Information Technology and Software” course.

What we talk about when we talk about monads

Computer science provides an in-depth understanding of technical aspects of programming concepts, but if we want to understand how programming concepts evolve, how programmers think and talk about them and how they are used in practice, we need to consider a broader perspective that includes historical, philosophical and cognitive aspects. In this paper, we develop such broader understanding of monads, a programming concept that has an infamous formal definition, syntactic support in several programming languages and a reputation for being elegant and powerful, but also intimidating and difficult to grasp. This paper is not a monad tutorial. It will not tell you what a monad is. Instead, it helps you understand how computer scientists and programmers talk about monads and why they do so. To answer these questions, we review the history of monads in the context of programming and study the development through the perspectives of philosophy of science, philosophy of mathematics and cognitive sciences. More generally, we present a framework for understanding programming concepts that considers them at three levels: formal, metaphorical and implementation. We base such observations on established results about the scientific method and mathematical entities -- cognitive sciences suggest that the metaphors used when thinking about monads are more important than widely accepted, while philosophy of science explains how the research paradigm from which monads originate influences and restricts their use. Finally, we provide evidence for why a broader philosophical, sociological look at programming concepts should be of interest for programmers. It lets us understand programming concepts better and, fundamentally, choose more appropriate abstractions as illustrated in number of case studies that conclude the paper.

Teaching Functional Patterns through Robotic Applications

We present our approach to teaching functional programming to First Year Computer Science students at Middlesex University through projects in robotics. A holistic approach is taken to the curriculum, emphasising the connections between different subject areas. A key part of the students' learning is through practical projects that draw upon and integrate the taught material. To support these, we developed the Middlesex Robotic plaTfOrm (MIRTO), an open-source platform built using Raspberry Pi, Arduino, HUB-ee wheels and running Racket (a LISP dialect). In this paper we present the motivations for our choices and explain how a number of concepts of functional programming may be employed when programming robotic applications. We present some students' work with robotics projects: we consider the use of robotics projects to have been a success, both for their value in reinforcing students' understanding of programming concepts and for their value in motivating the students.

Understanding Notional Machines through Traditional Teaching with Conceptual Contraposition and Program Memory Tracing

A correct understanding about how computers run code is mandatory in order to effectively learn to program. Lectures have historically been used in programming courses to teach how computers execute code, and students are assessed through traditional evaluation methods, such as exams. Constructivism learning theory objects to students’ passiveness during lessons, and traditional quantitative methods for evaluating a complex cognitive process such as understanding. Constructivism proposes complimentary techniques, such as conceptual contraposition and colloquies. We enriched lectures of a “Programming II” (CS2) course combining conceptual contraposition with program memory tracing, then we evaluated students’ understanding of programming concepts through colloquies. Results revealed that these techniques applied to the lecture are insufficient to help students develop satisfactory mental models of the C++ notional machine, and colloquies behaved as the most comprehensive traditional evaluations conducted in the course.

Programming assistance tools to support the learning of IT programming in South African secondary schools

Novice programmers struggle to understand introductory programming concepts and this difficulty, associated with learning to program, contributes mainly to the lack of interest in the field of Computer Science at tertiary level. Programming assistance tools have been used to assist novice programmers extensively at education institutions. A programming assistance tool (PAT) is a software program that can be used by novice programmers to learn how to program and/or improve their understanding of programming concepts.This research proposes that novice programmers, specifically Information Technology (IT) scholars in South African secondary schools, could be supported by PATs. The main objective of this research was to determine whether the use of a PAT impacted IT scholars' understanding of programming concepts and their motivation towards programming in general. Criteria for the selection of PATs were derived from the programming difficulties identified in literature and from surveys to IT teachers and scholars. The selection criteria were grouped into programming knowledge and programming skills categories. Existing PATs were evaluated using the selection criteria and three PATs, namely, RoboMind, Scratch and B#, were selected for evaluation in this research study. A convenience sample of schools participated in the study. The three PATs provided different approaches while being able to support the Delphi programming language used in schools that participated in the study.The findings of this research indicated that, although scholars perceived the PATs to be useful in the explanation of certain of the programming concepts, there was no conclusive evidence that IT scholars who used a PAT had a significantly better understanding of programming concepts and motivation towards programming than scholars who did not use a PAT. Participant feedback was used to identify the strengths and shortcomings of the three PATs and to provide recommendations for the development of future PATs specifically designed to support IT scholars.

Exploring Second Life as a Learning Environment for Computer Programming

Computer programming can be challenging for beginners because of the need to understand abstract programming concepts. In this paper, we study the use of the Second Life (SL) virtual world for learning computer programming concepts. We conduct an empirical study for learning computer programming in SL by addressing affordances of SL for experiential problem-based learning pedagogies. We present preliminary findings, the promises and the limitations of Second Life as an environment for learning computer programming.

Using POGIL to help students learn to program

POGIL has been successfully implemented in a scientific computing course to teach science students how to program in Python. Following POGIL guidelines, the authors have developed guided inquiry activities that lead student teams to discover and understand programming concepts. With each iteration of the scientific computing course, the authors have refined the activities and learned how to better adapt POGIL for the computer science classroom. This article details how POGIL activities differ from both traditional computer science labs and other active-learning pedagogies. Background is provided on POGIL's effectiveness. The article then includes a full description of how POGIL activities were used in the scientific computing course, as well as an example POGIL activity on recursion. Discussion is provided on how to facilitate and develop POGIL activities. Quotes from student evaluations and an assessment on how well students learned to program are provided.

The design and pilot evaluation of an interactive learning environment for introductory programming influenced by cognitive load theory and constructivism

This article presents the architecture and evaluation of a novel environment for programming education. The design of this programming environment, and the way it is used in class, is based on the findings of constructivist and cognitivist learning paradigms. The environment is evaluated based on qualitative student and teacher evaluations and experiments performed over a three year timespan. As the findings show, the students and teachers see the environment and the way it is used as an invaluable part of their education, and the experiments show that the environment can help with understanding programming concepts that most students consider very difficult.

Building Mashups by Demonstration

The latest generation of WWW tools and services enables Web users to generate applications that combine content from multiple sources. This type of Web application is referred to as a mashup. Many of the tools for constructing mashups rely on a widget paradigm, where users must select, customize, and connect widgets to build the desired application. While this approach does not require programming, the users must still understand programming concepts to successfully create a mashup. As a result, they are put off by the time, effort, and expertise needed to build a mashup. In this article, we describe our programming-by-demonstration approach to building mashup by example. Instead of requiring a user to select and customize a set of widgets, the user simply demonstrates the integration task by example. Our approach addresses the problems of extracting data from Web sources, cleaning and modeling the extracted data, and integrating the data across sources. We implemented these ideas in a system called Karma, and evaluated Karma on a set of 23 users. The results show that, compared to other mashup construction tools, Karma allows more of the users to successfully build mashups and makes it possible to build these mashups significantly faster compared to using a widget-based approach.

Layered Architecture for Automatic Generation of Conflictive Animations in Programming Education

Fundamental concepts of programming and data structures are usually taught with graphical tools such as simulations and animations. Conflictive animations have been proposed to improve students' understanding of programming concepts. In conflictive animations, errors are introduced in the animations to motivate students to constantly check their knowledge against what is being animated. We have implemented a framework in an animation tool that allows the automatic generation of conflictive animations of statements, expressions, and other programming constructs. The automatic generation is challenging due to the alternative paths execution can take and their side effects. The architecture of the tool consists of several layers that can alter the normal interpretation or visualization of the program. The framework and the tool have been evaluated by creating conflictive animations of two programming concepts-for-loops and inheritance-and by running a set of 27 examples taken from Java textbooks. Of these, over two thirds (19) required no modification or only minor changes to create the conflictive animations. The reasons that the remaining examples did not generate conflictive animations automatically were divided between the layered architecture used and the example program itself.

IFlow: A Graphical User Interface for Flow Cytometry Tools in Bioconductor

Flow cytometry (FCM) has become an important analysis technology in health care and medical research, but the large volume of data produced by modern high-throughput experiments has presented significant new challenges for computational analysis tools. The development of an FCM software suite in Bioconductor represents one approach to overcome these challenges. In the spirit of the R programming language (Tree Star Inc., “FlowJo,” http://www.owjo.com), these tools are predominantly console-driven, allowing for programmatic access and rapid development of novel algorithms. Using this software requires a solid understanding of programming concepts and of the R language. However, some of these tools|in particular the statistical graphics and novel analytical methods|are also useful for nonprogrammers. To this end, we have developed an open source, extensible graphical user interface (GUI) iFlow, which sits on top of the Bioconductor backbone, enabling basic analyses by means of convenient graphical menus and wizards. We envision iFlow to be easily extensible in order to quickly integrate novel methodological developments.

Adaptation of team-based learning on a first term programming class

First year computer science programming has always been a challenge for many students as the course expectation is not only for them to be able to understand programming concepts, but also to produce creative solutions to problems. Team-based learning seems a natural solution to increase the amount of practice each student will get, and to increase students' interest and confidence. The initial results of these two years of experimentation with team-based learning suggests that it helps reduce the dropping rate in the class to a reasonable level (10%) and give greater confidence to students in their ability to succeed. In this paper, we present how team-based learning has been adapted for our first semester programming class and we discuss the advantages of this techniques and difficulties encountered.

A Quantitative and Qualitative Investigation of Using Alice Programming to Improve Confidence, Enjoyment and Achievement among Non-Majors

In this investigation, the use of the Alice programming language in an introductory computing class was studied from both a quantitative and qualitative perspective. Students in an introductory computing class participated in a 2.5–week unit to learn programming through the graphical programming environment of Alice. Quantitatively, students were surveyed before and after their Alice experience. One hundred and fifty-four students completed a short questionnaire about their enjoyment and confidence with computer programming along with a content test about their understanding of computer programming concepts. After the students completed a short tutorial on Alice and completed two short programming exercises, they completed the same questionnaire and content test. Qualitatively, three focus groups were held and students were asked to comment on their experience. Students were also required to write an essay requiring them to reflect on their Alice experiences. Data from student reflective essays were coded and analyzed Both the t-tests of the pre- and post-test survey data and the analysis of student essays show that students show significant increases in enjoyment of programming, confidence in programming, and understanding of programming concepts. Focus group comments provide additional insight to these findings.