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Learning and teaching to program is an arduous task. It requires a lot of commitment, dedication, and passion from everyone involved. Programming courses have high dropout and failure rates. Throughout time, several educational research works have been carried out to study the different learning processes and characteristics of students. With this work, we present and describe our vision and model of teaching and learning of initial programming to minimize the problems. We present a technological tool, called HTProgramming (Help To Programming), which complements the teaching and learning process. This allows students to practice a wide variety of activities with immediate feedback, directly related to content and themes for learning programming. It allows the teacher to follow the whole process and students' results. Using a machine-learning (neural network) predictive model of student failure, it will allow the teacher to anticipate possible student failure and act quickly. In this paper, we apply the Design Scientific Research Methodology to tackle teaching and learning difficulties to initial programming. We also include the results and evaluation of the application. Students consider the application an important tool for their learning process. The student failure prediction model presents very realistic values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a new blended learning model that combines a computer-assisted learning system called Cognitive Apprenticeship Programming Learning System (CAPLS) with instructor co-teaching in an introductory programming course. CAPLS, as its unique aspect, functions as a master in cognitive apprenticeship, guiding learners throughout their learning while also assessing their progress. In contrast, the instructor in physical class settings serves a supportive role, monitoring progress and articulating as needed to fill knowledge gaps. To investigate the impact of this learning model on students’ motivation, we used the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) at the beginning and end of the semester. College Entrance Math score, midterm and final exams were also used to assess student learning outcomes. The study was conducted with first-year students in the Department of Information and Computer Engineering, and two key findings emerged. First, students’ programming proficiency was strongly correlated with their College Entrance Math scores. While math ability impacted programming learning, all students improved their final scores compared to their midterms, with high-scoring math students outperforming their peers. Second, the proposed blended cognitive teaching strategy significantly reduced students’ extrinsic goal and self-efficacy levels, but their learning outcomes still significantly improved. This suggests that the proposed teaching model promotes more conscious learning. These results can be used as a reference for improving student learning outcomes and experiences with computer-assisted learning systems.

The purpose of this project is to (1) develop an educational game for learning in a JAVA programming course for undergraduate students, (2) compare the learning achievements of educational games and lectures, and (3) assess learner game acceptance with learning through games. The sample used in this research were 50 first-year undergraduate students in the field of management information systems from the Department of Information Science, S University in Thailand. In game design and development, The researcher developed the game based on the concept of game flow elements, such as challenges, story, fun, beauty, and so on, in order to inspire learners to be engaged in learning through games. The tools used in the research were (1) educational game performance evaluation forms, (2) an educational game for learning JAVA programming concepts, (3) a learning achievement test, and (4) student satisfaction assessment forms. The research results showed that (1) the learning efficiency of the educational game was very good, (2) the academic achievement of learning by the educational game was higher than that of learning by lecture, and (3) the acceptance of learning with computer games by the students was excellent. Additionally, learning through games made it easier for students to absorb the subject and learn more effectively. It has been discovered that learning through games improves learning results for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study attempts to: (a) investigate whether positive and negative emotions mediate the pathways linking self-efficacy for learning programming with effort and persistence in undergraduates' learning Scratch programming combining with a programmable hardware platform (i.e., Arduino), and (b) assess the effect of academic major (i.e., information technology-related majors vs non-information technology-related majors) on self-efficacy for learning programming and emotions. With the use of responses collected from a sample of 156 undergraduate students, the research model is empirically validated using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that undergraduates' effort and persistence while learning programming were significantly predicted by positive emotions, but not by negative emotions. Self-efficacy for learning programming significantly and positively influenced positive emotions and negatively influenced negative emotions. Finally, variations in predicting positive emotions were found between different academic majors: students in information technology-related majors experienced less negative emotional experiences than those in non-information technology-related majors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Programming is a key subject in many engineering programs. Students often perceive it as a difficult skill to master. There is extensive literature on helping students learn and improve to program, most of which focuses on K-12 education. However, due to the current demand for workers with programming skills, more research must be conducted on techniques for learning programming at the higher education level. In this work, an analysis and evaluation of the usefulness of an Asterisk Private Branch Exchange (PBX) as an educational tool to improve the programming skills of students in higher education is presented. The study worked with undergraduate students in telecommunications engineering, with little work experience in programming, during the completion of their final year project. Results suggest that using Asterisk has a positive impact on the students' perception of their programming knowledge and skills, as well as an increment in the interest and comfort regarding programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the use of tools for verifying the operation of automated feedback as implemented in programming courses. Educational environments offer the experience of summative and formative evaluation of computer programs, which is aimed at students. In this type of tool, students solve a programming task, which is automatically validated in order to generate grades and feedback. Regarding summative evaluation, a numerical or percentage grade is generated on whether the solution of a task is correct. In the case of formative evaluation, information is generated on errors or suggestions to be incorporated to the programs in order to improve learning. The employed tools are UNCode, Ask-Elle, and Nbgrader. In addition, some important remarks are made about some of the tools used for comparing programs and validating differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been an active movement towards fun learning, using games in education. This article introduces the text-based serious game “Rise of the Java Emperor” that aims to support students in learning basic object-oriented programming concepts using Java. Information concerning the analysis, the design and the pilot evaluation of the game is presented. Thirty-three undergraduate and postgraduate students of an Applied Informatics Department voluntarily played and answered a questionnaire based on the MEEGA+ model, in order to investigate the perceived player experience and short-term learning as well as the acceptance of a text-based programming game by students. The results of the evaluation show that text based games can be both fun and instructional for the field of computer programming. An important issue that requires further research is how this or other programming games can be successfully combined with traditional teaching methods for enhancing the learning of programming.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a part of everyday interactions with pervasive digital systems. This development increasingly calls for citizens to have a basic understanding of programming and computational thinking (PCT). Accordingly, countries worldwide are implementing several approaches to integrate critical elements of PCT into K-9 education. However, these efforts are confronted by difficulties that the PCT concepts are for students to grasp from purely theoretical perspectives. Recent literature indicates that the playful nature is particularly important when novices from both both early and higher education are to learn AI. These playful activities are characterised by setting a scene where PCT concepts such as algorithms, data processing, and simulations are meant to draw on to understand better how AI is integrated into our everyday digital life. This discussion paper analyses playful PCT resources developed around the game rock-paper-scissors developed in the UK and Denmark. Resources from these countries are interesting starting points since both have been or are in the process of integrating PCT as part of the K-9 curriculum. The central discussion raised by the paper, is the nature of the integration between mathematics and PCT in these tasks. These resources provide opportunities for discussion of how we may better integrate PCT and mathematics from the perspective of both subjects to build a solid foundation for a critical understanding of AI interactions in future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching programming to children has attracted significant research in recent decades. In our previous work, we co-designed the learning companion called Alcody with children between 10–12 years old who had some previous programming knowledge. Alcody is based on Papert’s constructionism theory, interacting with the students in pseudocode and providing recommendations as emotional support. Students using Alcody could significantly increase their scores in a programming test as well as seeming to be happy using the system. However, the relationship between the increase in scores and satisfaction and motivation levels was not explored. Moreover, since the COVID-19 pandemic, children have seemed too distracted and stressed to keep focusing on learning programming. This is why this paper introduces, for the first time in the literature, the use of mindfulness (the quality of being aware of the present moment) to help children focus before their programming sessions. The hypothesis is that by integrating mindfulness into the teaching of programming to children with an emotional learning companion, such as Alcody, the learning of programming concepts and students’ attitudes to learning can be improved. To test the hypothesis, an experiment was carried out with 137 students between 10-12 years old during the 2020 summer, split into a control group (without mindfulness) and a test group (with mindfulness). The 69 students in the test group achieved a significantly higher improvement in their post-test programming scores, and significantly higher satisfaction and motivation levels than the students in the control group. Moreover, students in the test group reported that they liked the experience of practicing mindfulness and that they felt it helped them to focus. It is therefore concluded that integrating mindfulness practices into the teaching of programming to children can be beneficial to increase their scores, satisfaction, and motivation levels.

Education is evolving to prepare students for the current sociotechnical changes. An increasing effort to introduce programming and other STEM-related subjects into the core curriculum of primary and secondary education is taking place around the world. The use of robots stands out among STEM initiatives, since robots are proving to be an engaging tool for learning programming and other STEM-related contents. Block-based programming is the option chosen for most educational robotic platforms. However, many robotics kits include their own software tools, as well as their own set of programming blocks. LearnBlock, a new educational programming tool, is proposed here. Its major novelty is its loosely coupled software architecture which makes it, to the best of our knowledge, the first robot-agnostic educational tool. Robot-agnosticism is provided not only in block code, but also in generated code, unifying the translation from blocks to the final programming language. The set of blocks can be easily extended implementing additional Python functions, without modifying the core code of the tool. Moreover, LearnBlock provides an integrated educational programming environment that facilitates a progressive transition from a visual to a general-purpose programming language. To evaluate LearnBlock and demonstrate that it is platform-agnostic, several tests were conducted. Each of them consists of a program implementing a robot behaviour. The block code of each test can run on several educational robots without changes.

Learning how to program in Primary Education has attracted significant research in recent years. It is unclear though how programming environments and languages should be adapted to children to achieve better learning and use, but one trend seems to be the use of Scratch. The question in this paper is what programming environment can be used to continue teaching programming to children who have already been taught Scratch for years. This paper's proposal is that students aged between 10 and 12 can benefit from interacting with a friendly learning companion using p-code such as Alcody. The hypothesis is that students (aged between 10 and 12) with a knowledge of Scratch will be able to significantly improve their scores by using a learning companion to teach them how to program even during the COVID-19 pandemic. To check the hypothesis, an experiment was carried out during the 2019/2020 academic year with 137 students in Ecuador. A significant improvement in the scores of the students was recorded together with high satisfaction.

The emphasis on programming and robotics owing to the unfolding of the Fourth Industrial Revolution on the African continent has led the South African National Department of Education to propose a new subject in Grades R to 9. Hence, the training and development of pre-service teachers is crucial so that they can respond to the skills needed in the Digital Age. This preliminary study set out to explore and gauge pre-service teachers' experiences of programming and robotics. Programming is perceived as being difficult and challenging because of its abstract nature. Block-based programming has gained popularity in introducing the novice to programming concepts. This paper presents a case of nine computer science pre-service teachers from a South African university and their experiences of physical computer programming using Scratch for Arduino. Data was collected from unstructured observations during a practical session followed by a semi-structured group interview. The meaningful implementation of physical computing was supported by Rogers's (Freedom to learn: A view of what education might become, Charles Merrill, 1969) experiential learning theory. A prominent finding was that physical programming affords the opportunity to learn electronics and programming simultaneously, making programming relevant and interesting. Programming with Scratch for Arduino takes advantage of the fact that an Arduino is a physical device when paired with Scratch, further making these concepts accessible in a concrete manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning to program involves understanding a set of theories and practices, knowledge about language paradigms, syntax and semantics, logical, mathematical, and abstract and algorithmic reasoning skills. These aspects make learning difficult for beginning students, being a subject with high failure and dropout rates. Several studies have pointed out the visual and block programming environments as tools that can help overcome some of the initial barriers. This article presents a Systematic Literature Review on the use of the MIT App Inventor block programming environment in teaching and learning to program. To this end, a systematic search of articles published between 2011 and 2020 was carried out in six of the main databases related to computer science and education. The results of the 10 articles analyzed highlighted the potential of the environment for learning programming concepts and also revealed the lack of experimental studies that analyze the effect of its use on students' learning and motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Uporabna Informatika is the property of Slovensko Drustvo Informatika and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There has been an active movement towards fun learning, using games in education. This article introduces the text-based serious game "Rise of the Java Emperor" that aims to support students in learning basic object-oriented programming concepts using Java. Information concerning the analysis, the design and the pilot evaluation of the game is presented. Thirtythree undergraduate and postgraduate students of an Applied Informatics Department voluntarily played and answered a questionnaire based on the MEEGA+ model, in order to investigate the perceived player experience and short-term learning as well as the acceptance of a text-based programming game by students. The results of the evaluation show that text based games can be both fun and instructional for the field of computer programming. An important issue that requires further research is how this or other programming games can be successfully combined with traditional teaching methods for enhancing the learning of programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regardless of the programming experience, the understanding of the program execution is mandatory if a programmer is to write a code. Therefore, it is vitally important for novice programmers to construct correct mental models of the execution of the notional machine. To this end, many program visualizations have been developed over the last years. However, novice programmers often focus on learning the syntax of a programming language rather than getting to grips with the programming itself. Dataflow visual programming languages (DFVPL) allow us to build programs by connecting blocks with arcs. In this paper we present our own DFVPL that exhibits a high level of responsiveness to user inputs and enables the user to control the execution of the program.

Coding skills are becoming more and more important in today's world, especially within the context of the fourth industrial revolution. They also help practice other 21 century skills such as computational thinking, problem solving and teamwork. Unfortunately, learning how to program is tough and can be also frustrating for beginner students. In this work we introduce RoboTIC, a serious game based on gamification and Augmented Reality that facilitates the learning of programming to students in lower levels of the education system by using a novel set of visual metaphors derived from a notation of roads and traffic signs. The architecture that supports RoboTIC has been designed to allow the integration of multimedia components when new programming concepts and techniques must be addressed and to add game levels that enable students to learn incrementally. Experiments have been conducted in a youth center with children who do not have coding skills at all to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposal. The results show promising conclusions in terms of children's motivation and interest in programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, teaching programming to future teachers is superficial or is excluded from computer science curricular. Only programming fundamentals are taught during computer studies, and skills acquired during the training are not applied in practice. The aims of this article are 1) to develop a programming course for teacher training disciplines that are taught in training units of the Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University (NEFU), and 2) give recommendations to apply features of the programming language Python in the professional activities of future teachers. This work applies the iterative methodological approach to undertake the study in various groups of students of NEFU from 2016 to 2019. Quantitative and objective indicators are used. Results show which modules of Python are the most appropriate for students to study for their future professional teaching activities. The training course "Use of the language Python by future teachers" is developed, and will be taught in all training units of the university, that have teacher training disciplines. The article determines a direction of future research related to teaching programming, which is important for all computer studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of TE & ET: Revista Iberoamericana de Tecnología en Educación y Educación en Tecnología is the property of School of Computer Science, La Pata University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Informática Educativa Comunicaciones is the property of Asociacion para el Desarrollo de la Informatica Educativa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background. Learning programming is a cognitively demanding field of study accompanied with various difficulties. Although there is a high demand in the market for programmers, software analysts and engineers, a high dropout rate is recorded in relevant fields of study. Serious games are a promising means of engaging students in learning programming by giving them more incentives and making the process of learning programming concepts and languages more entertaining. Aim. This article introduces a new serious game called PY-RATE ADVENTURES, which aims to assist young students in their introduction to the basic programming concepts using Python. The game does not have any prerequisites and is suitable for players with no previous knowledge of programming. This article aims to present important information regarding the analysis, design and pilot evaluation of PY-RATE ADVENTURES. Method. The game was evaluated by 31 people that had recently graduated or were students of an Interdepartmental Programme of Postgraduate Studies in Information Systems. The participants voluntarily played the game and answered a questionnaire based on the MEEGA+ model, after their hands on experience with the game. This questionnaire's purpose was to evaluate PY-RATE ADVENTURES in terms of perceived player experience and short-term learning. Results. The participants positively evaluated the game almost in all the elements of player experience. Furthermore, the majority of the users consider that the game helped them to learn basic programming concepts in Python and stated that they would prefer to learn programming with this game rather than other teaching methods. Conclusion. The positive results of the pilot evaluation give us the motivation to proceed and evaluate the game with students in secondary education, in order to extract stronger and generalisable conclusions regarding the impact of the game as an educational tool for learning programming concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Programming is widely known to be a cognitively demanding field. Learning programming can be a strenuous task without the proper guidance and methodology. Students often face difficulties in understanding even the most basic and fundamental concepts of programming, leading to their confusion and disappointment. Serious games for programming have the potential to alleviate students' difficulties with programming.Aim. This article introduces a new serious game named jAVANT-GARDE which aims to educate the player on the basic concepts of programming and object-oriented programming through Java. By design, the game is suitable for everyone, even for players with no previous knowledge of programming. This article aims to present important information regarding the design, implementation and pilot evaluation of jAVANT-GARDE.Method. The game was evaluated by 42 high school students (age 16-17) in terms of perceived player experience and short-term learning. The participants played the game for one hour in the school lab and then answered a questionnaire based on the MEEGA+ framework.Results. Students evaluated positively the game in terms of its usability, confidence in playing the game, challenge, satisfaction, fun, focused attention and relevance. Moreover, the majority of students stated that would prefer learning programming with this game to learning through other teaching methods.Conclusions. The results of the pilot study and students' replies in the questionnaire are rather positive. This gives us the initiative to proceed with studying the effect of the game in long-term learning of programming concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]