Teaching Cobol: less listening, more doing

ABSTRACT

COBOL courses have traditionally relied heavily on lectures. Research indicates, however, that lectures have little effect on problem solving ability which is the most taxing aspect of writing programs.This article describes an experimental course design for teaching COBOL, that stresses problem solving by more active involvement than lectures. Independent reading, followed by a consolidating lecture, then group tutorial work followed by program writing are integrated in a spiral fashion, each block building on the previous one, gradually combining syntax and semantics.The monitoring of the course showed that students found that tutorials prepared them well for coursework (writing complete COBOL programs) which was considered the most beneficial activity of the course. Tutorials were seen to expose the students to alternative solutions which is an essential ingredient of problem solving, although students could not always see the direct relevance of the tutorials to COBOL knowledge. Lectures it was felt could not be discarded altogether as they helped clarify the reading. The gradual build-up of knowledge integrated with practice was felt to be helpful.In summary, further development of courses along these lines was considered worthwhile to achieve the broader objectives of improved problem solving ability, team work, and a more motivating learning environment for the learning of COBOL, which lectures cannot achieve.

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