Donaldson, P. and Cutts, Q. (2018) Flexible Low-cost Activities to Develop Novice Code Comprehension Skills in Schools. In: 13th Workshop in Primary and Secondary Computing Education (WiPSCE '18), Potsdam, Germany, 04-06 Oct 2018, p. 19. ISBN 9781450365888 (doi: 10.1145/3265757.3265776)
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Abstract
The lack of code comprehension skills in novice programming students is recognised as a major factor underpinning poor learning outcomes. We use Schulte’s Block Model to support teachers’ understanding of how to break the skill down into component parts that are more manageable for a learner. This analysis is operationalised in three code annotation-based learning/assessment exercise formats, two helping students to identify and describe programming concepts and the third enabling them to parse code correctly and carry out desk executions. A great benefit of the activities is that they are low cost and can be applied to any imperative style code and so can be easily adopted by schools anywhere; furthermore, they are active, not passive, an issue with some animation-based visualisation approaches. The exercise formats were included as part of a national schools computing science professional learning programme (PLAN C).
Item Type: | Conference Proceedings |
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Keywords: | Notional machine, block model, program comprehension, formative assessment. |
Status: | Published |
Refereed: | Yes |
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Cutts, Professor Quintin and Donaldson, Mr Peter |
Authors: | Donaldson, P., and Cutts, Q. |
Subjects: | L Education > LB Theory and practice of education L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB1603 Secondary Education. High schools |
College/School: | College of Social Sciences > School of Education College of Science and Engineering > School of Computing Science College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Pedagogy, Praxis & Faith |
Research Group: | Pedagogy, Praxis and Faith |
ISBN: | 9781450365888 |
Copyright Holders: | Copyright © 2018 The Authors |
First Published: | First published in Proceedings of the 13th Workshop in Primary and Secondary Computing Education (WiPSCE '18): 19 |
Publisher Policy: | Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy |
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