Characteristics of programming exercises that lead to poor learning tendencies: Part II

ABSTRACT

In most introductory programming courses tasks are given to students to complete as a crucial part of their study. The tasks are considered important because they require students to apply their knowledge to new situations. However, often the tasks have not been considered as a vehicle that can direct learning behaviours in students. In this paper attention is paid to features of programming tasks that led to the following three poor learning behaviours: non-retrieval, lack of internal reflective thinking and lack of external reflective thinking. The data gathered for this study is provided by students and tutors, and describes the students' engagement in the tasks. The paper concludes with a list of generic improvements that should be considered when formulating programming exercises to minimise poor learning behaviours in students.

REFERENCES

• 1: Baird, R.J. and Northfield R.J., Learning from the Peel Experience. 1995, Melbourne, Australia: The Monash University Printing Services.
• 2: Bloom, B.S., Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. 1st ed. 1956, New York: D. McKay Co.
• 3: Carbone, A., Drago, M., and Mitchell, I. Web Based Tools to Maintain Teaching Strategies and Resources. in What works and Why? in The Fourteenth Annual Conference of the Australian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education, (ASCILITE'97). 1997. Curtin University, Perth, Australia: Academic Computing Services.
• 4: Angela Carbone , John Hurst , Ian Mitchell , Dick Gunstone, Principles for designing programming exercises to minimise poor learning behaviours in students, Proceedings of the Australasian conference on Computing education, p.26-33, December 2000, Melbourne, Australia [doi>10.1145/359369.359374]
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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  K. Computing Milieux
  K.3 COMPUTERS AND EDUCATION
      K.3.2 Computer and Information Science Education
          Subjects: Computer science education

General Terms:
Human Factors