1. Problem-Based Learning for Foundation Computer Science Courses
- Author
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Alan Fekete, Judy Kay, Jeffrey H. Kingston, Kate Crawford, Michael Barg, Tony Greening, and Owen Hollands
- Subjects
General Computer Science ,Problem-based learning ,Computer science ,Teaching method ,Active learning ,Teaching and learning center ,ComputingMilieux_COMPUTERSANDEDUCATION ,Mathematics education ,Educational technology ,Experiential learning ,Learning sciences ,Education ,Synchronous learning - Abstract
The foundation courses in computer science pose particular challenges for teacher and learner alike. This paper describes some of these challenges and how we have designed problem-based learning (PBL) courses to address them. We discuss the particular problems we were keen to overcome: the purely technical focus of many courses; the problems of individual learning and the need to establish foundations in a range of areas which are important for computer science graduates. We then outline our course design, showing how we have created problem-based learning courses. The paper reports our evaluation of the approach. This has two parts: assessment of a trial, with a three-year longitudinal follow-up of the students; reports of student learning improve-ment after we had become experienced in full implementation of PBL. We conclude with a summary of our experience over three years of PBL teaching and discuss some of the pragmatic issues around introducing the radical change in teaching, maintaining staff suppo...
- Published
- 2000