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This paper examines the cloud computing for education (CCE) literature, and analyzes if the research is developing scientifically with adequate empirical validation. All aspects of empirical investigations covered in the literature are shown as weak, hence, the necessary scientific development of CCE requires extending its scope of interest, and involving scholars synergistically to create and maintain a “common research agenda.” Background: A need to develop research on CCE has been recognized, and considerable efforts made to create an accurate understanding of the development of its scope of interest, in terms of supporting pedagogical developments and processes for better quality of studies. Research Questions: This paper has three main aims: 1) to evaluate the scope of interest in the literature for CCE with specific reference to pedagogy and educational processes; 2) to analyze the characteristics of papers, specifically empirical studies, from the various points of view of the daily improvement activities of teachers and learners at all levels of education; and 3) to identify eventual research gaps to consider and stimulate new topics or further investigations. Methodology: This systematic mapping study review followed a rigorous, replicable process to collect and analyze representative studies of CCE. Findings: Differences are found across geographic areas in applying CCE infrastructure and technologies in educational institutions; few studies address CCE’s impact on pedagogic processes. The scope of interest in CCE is only partially covered; with empirical research being very shallow. Suggestions are made for more effective research on concerning the production and use of content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: This article features a systematic literature review with the objective of presenting a study that reflects the current scenario of research on the cognitive load theory (CLT) in the domain of teaching and learning computer programming. Background: Computer programming is a highly cognitive skill, requiring mastering multiple competencies, and recognized as being difficult to learn, for this reason, the cognitive load (CL) in the learner’s working memory emerged as an influential concept, making CLT one of the most common theories in computing education research. Research Questions: What are the approaches that relate CLT to teaching and learning computer programming? What CLT-related concepts are covered? What evidence is reported with respect to this context? Methodology: Following a formal protocol, a survey was performed for papers linking CLT to teaching and learning programming published between 2010 and 2020. The selection of papers was based on a set of criteria established to drive the selection process, including alignment with the research questions and paper quality assessment. Findings: The approaches applied in the papers are based on measuring the CL; through instructional design based on the development or use of resources or tools, a range of different pedagogy strategies and the CLT concepts. With respect to the concepts, the subjective measurement technique and worked example effect are the most commonly deployed. As far as the evidence reported, the better part is related to the worked example effect and measuring CLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contributions: The underrepresentation of women in computer science (CS) majors has long been a focus of attention in many academic documents, the majority of them from the United States and Europe. There is, however, a lack of information about educational interventions (EIs) for women in computing in Latin America. The contribution of this article is to cover this gap and describe what researchers in Latin American countries have been publishing about the recruitment and retention of women in the CS field. Background: Many EIs targeting female students at different educational levels—K-12, undergraduate, and graduate—have been undertaken to increase the participation of women in computing in Latin America. However, descriptions of these activities rarely are included in international academic databases. Research Questions: This literature mapping addresses two main research questions (RQ) about the topic of women in computing in academic publications in Latin American countries: RQ1) what are the characteristics of the publications about women in computing in Latin America? and RQ2) what are the published interventions to recruit and retain women in computing in Latin America? To answer RQ1, six subquestions were created covering year, language, country of origin, document type, and professional track. Furthermore, for RQ2, two subquestions were created involving educational level and the use of software development with a female theme. Methodology: This investigation used the systematic literature mapping process. To achieve a broad coverage of papers, the following sources were included: Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, EBSCO, the proceedings of the Latin American Women in Computing Conference (LAWCC), and those of the Women in Technology (WIT) workshop colocated with the annual conference of the Brazilian Computer Society (SBC). The included papers were published in the last decade (2010–2020) and written in English, Portuguese, or Spanish. Findings: The literature mapping encompasses 197 academic documents, 48.2% of which were written in Portuguese, 28.7% in English, and 23.1% in Spanish. The papers originated from 15 of the 20 Latin American countries. Brazil and Costa Rica have the highest number of publications overall. The documents describe initiatives to increase the participation of women in computing majors that cover the entire educational spectrum, from K-12 to graduate programs, but papers targeting populations in higher education have started to appear recently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: This document presents a systematic bibliographic review that demonstrates the need to conduct research on how the user experience impacts the development of computational thinking. Background: In the field of computer science, computational thinking is defined as a method that enhances problem-solving skills, system design, and human behavior understanding. Over the last few decades, several tools have been proposed for the development of computational thinking skills; however, there is no area of study that evaluates the implications or the impact that these types of platforms have on users belonging to any knowledge area. Research Question: Do user interfaces influence the development of computational thinking skills? Methodology: To address this issue, a systematic review of the literature was conducted using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) methodology for analyzing and evaluating scientific publications. Findings: The results show that despite the dearth of literature on the subject, the specific design of a user interface has a significant impact on the development of computational thinking. Bearing the above in mind, it is necessary to conduct research that delves more deeply into the effects caused by the technologies that are used to develop computational thinking, this being a line of research that is worthy of consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reviewers performing systematic literature reviews require understanding of the review process and of the knowledge domain. This paper presents an iterative approach for conducting systematic literature reviews that addresses the problems faced by reviewers who are novices in one or both levels of understanding. This approach is derived from traditional systematic literature reviews and based on observations from four systematic reviews performed in an academic setting. These reviews demonstrated the importance of defining iterations for the eight tasks of the review process. The iterative approach enables experiential learning from the two levels of understanding: the process level and the domain level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: This article lends empirical evidence to this research area of factors influencing students’ choice of and success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Background: Understanding these factors is crucial as it informs recruitment and support interventions provided to students and constitutes a premise to improving graduation rates. The social cognitive career theory (SCCT) was used as a theoretical framework to provide insight regarding factors influencing students’ choice of qualifications. Research Questions: What is the state of research on the factors influencing students’ choice of and success in STEM programmes? Which of these factors have interested most researchers? What research themes are covered in articles investigating these factors? Methodology: This study followed the general bibliometric analysis workflow—study design, data collection, data analysis, data visualization, and interpretation. Data collection followed the preferred reporting items for systematic review and metaanalysis (PRISMA) guidelines. From an initial set of 408 articles, 179 related to the theme and were published in the Web of Science between 2004 and 2020. These articles were analyzed using the standard bibliometric metrics. Findings: Findings indicate that this research field is still growing. Thirty-two factors were identified and rated based using an objective assessment criterion. In addition, a classification of the factors is presented based on the SCCT. This study provides a theoretical reference for improving success rates for STEM qualifications and better understanding the theme. The study proposes a research agenda of what future research in the field should focus on, based on current gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: In this study, we accumulated the knowledge and generated evidence on how and in what context CDIO framework has been used in software engineering (SE) education. The aggregated evidence will enable SE academics in making informed decisions while adopting CDIO for SE education and build upon it. Background: CDIO framework is relevant for SE as it focuses on enabling engineering graduates in conceiving, designing, implementing, and operating complex systems and products. We were not able to find any study that identifies and aggregates the evidence on the use of CDIO for SE education. Research Questions: This study attempts to answer the following research questions: 1) how CDIO has been used in SE education? and 2) what are the experiences of academics in applying the CDIO framework in SE education? Methodology: Using a mixed-method approach (systematic mapping study and interview study with experienced academics in SE), we established the state of the art and practice on the use of CDIO in SE education. Findings: Getting a commitment from the higher management, teachers, and students is a major challenge in the adoption of the CDIO initiative followed by a lack of competence, finance, and resources. Ownership, motivation, persistence, and training of teachers and students are required not only to adopt CDIO for SE but also to sustain it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: In the research presented in this article, a procedure for determining student workload has been designed, tested, and validated. This procedure also makes it possible to analyze how different teaching variables are affected by workload and to visualize the learning environment generated in the course. Background: When the project-based learning (PBL) methodology is used in a course, if the students’ workload is not properly planned and controlled, important variables in the educational environment, such as the teaching organization and the students’ approach to learning, can be affected. The PBL methodology may even become unfeasible as it affects the other courses with which it shares year and semester. This justifies the need to know the student workload of a subject. The previous research has presented procedures for establishing student workload. However, they use questionnaires with a high number of questions. A questionnaire with many questions affects the reliability of students’ answers. The questionnaire presented in this article reduces the number of questions without affecting the results obtained and it is easily applicable to other courses. Research Questions: The questions to be answered in this research are: 1) is the workload of the students, when using the PBL methodology in a course, in line with the one established in the syllabus? and 2) is the learning environment created in the course as expected? Methodology: The methodology used to obtain the necessary data is based on students completing weekly surveys, two critical incident questionnaires (CIQs), and a final survey. The aim was always to minimize the number of questions to be answered, ensuring that the data collected provided a true picture of the workload and the educational environment. Findings: The analysis of the data obtained by applying the procedure provides mechanisms to control the workload, ensure involvement and motivation, improve students’ academic results and show the learning environment created in the course. The implementation of this method, during three academic years, has allowed to test its effectiveness, validate some of the initial hypotheses, and confirm the conclusions of some previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: Demonstrates how to use experiential learning (EL) to improve argumentative writing. Presents the design and development of a natural language processing (NLP) application for aiding instructors in providing feedback on student essays. Discusses how EL combined with automated support provides an analytical approach to improving written-communication skills. Background: High-quality, timely, feedback is an effective way to improve students’ writing. However, large class sizes and limited instructor backgrounds often make formative feedback impossible. Recent trends, including lowering entry requirements, have added to these challenges. Assistive technologies for implementing inclusive education provide viable solutions. Research Questions: 1) How and why can EL be used to develop argumentative writing skills in university STEM students? 2) How can technologies be developed to support using EL in teaching writing? and 3) How might the holistic impact of using such analytic techniques be evaluated? Methodology: Participants in an EL project were assigned two essays in sequence. They were given instructions on making good arguments and shown how to use an analytic rubric to maximize their scores. The essays were hand scored by tutors who provided scores for each dimension of the rubric. Subsequently, the content and argumentation of the essays were analyzed using NLP techniques to obtain independent scores. Qualitative data were also collected. Findings: The project produced transformative writing experiences for the participants. It showed how analytical techniques help improve writing skills and how relevant automated instructor assistance can be developed using NLP technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: A systematic interdisciplinary engineering and technology instructional model using cutting-edge technologies is proposed in this research. This model consists of four key components: 1) interdisciplinary collaboration; 2) hands-on projects; 3) real-world simulations; and 4) cutting-edge technologies. The model was designed to engage students in the real-world engineering projects and experience through the following activities: 1) performing the design, fabrication, and lab testing; 2) modeling and analyzing testing samples; 3) conducting on-site experiments; and 4) performing data processing and analysis. Background: Engineering programs are challenged by the rapid development of innovative technologies. To address this challenge, it is required to provide engineering graduates with “soft skills” for the capability of project management, especially the communication and collaboration among disciplines through university education. Therefore, it is desired to develop a systematic interdisciplinary engineering and technology educational strategy. Research questions: 1) is the proposed systematic interdisciplinary instructional model appropriate and feasible to be integrated into the engineering curriculum? 2) what were the students’ perceptions and experiences about the interdisciplinary model? 3) does the interdisciplinary model facilitate engineering students’ soft skills, such as interdisciplinary communication and collaboration? and 4) does the interdisciplinary model help to enhance engineering students’ real-world professional experience, develop design thinking and problem-solving skills, which will help them to transfer their learning experience from the classroom setting to the real-world setting? Methodology: A systematic interdisciplinary engineering and technology model was developed, implemented, and evaluated. Findings: The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed systematic instructional model were validated by various data sources. The tested model is recommended for broader adaptation in various STEM disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: This article adds to the results of previous systematic mapping study by addressing a more ample context of problem-based learning (PBL) in computing education. Background: PBL is defined as an instructional method of constructivist teaching that uses real problems as a motivating element for learning. Although PBL was born in medical education, it has been used in computing education to facilitate the students’ engagement and learning capacity, contributing to developing skills, such as teamwork, holistic vision, critical thinking, and solving problem. Considering that approach much more descriptive than prescriptive, it favors the implementation of diverse methodologies on its behalf. Research Question: “How the PBL approach has been applied in teaching computing?” Methodology: From the initial set of 3837 studies, 102 primary studies were selected and categorized through Kitchenham methodology for analysis from 1999 to 2019. Findings: Based on these studies, it was possible to verify a greater adoption of PBL in undergraduate education and a great diversity of strategies involving real-world problems, developing technical and no-technical skills and making the student much more motivated and engaged. Challenges were also mapped, which shows a very interesting field for new research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]