CORRELATIONS AMONG ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES USED IN AN INTRODUCTORY PROGRAMMING COURSE

Year 2014, Volume: 1 , 346 - 351, 01.09.2014

Cagin Kazımoglu Umut Tekguc Kamil Yurtkan

Abstract

Learning computer
programming is often perceived to be a difficult task by novice programming
students and there have been several studies into the failure rate of students
learning to program. This study explores the correlations between introductory
programming students’ ability to program and their theoretical knowledge in computer
programming in order to analyze whether or not their performance in written
exams are genuine and accurate. A rigorous statistical analysis was conducted
with 400 introductory programming students who were randomly selected without
considering whether or not they had a good programming background. The findings
of the study used inferential statistics in order to define the correlations
between students’ practical and theoretical exam results. Additionally, the
correlations between students’ department and their exam results were
investigated in order to define whether or not students’ departments have an
impact on their success in exams.

Keywords

Introductory programming, computer programming, learning to program, assessment of programming courses

References

• Ala-Mutka, K. M. (2005). A survey of automated assessment approaches for programming assignments. Computer Science Education, 15(2), 83-102. Barros, J. P., Estevens, L., Dias, R., Pais, R., & Soeiro, E. (2003, June). Using lab exams to ensure programming practice in an introductory programming course. In ACM SIGCSE Bulletin (Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 16-20). ACM. Bennedsen, J., & Caspersen, M. E. (2007). Failure rates in introductory programming. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 39(2), 32-36. Butcher, D. F., & Muth, W. A. (1985). Predicting performance in an introductory computer science course. Communications of the ACM, 28(3), 263-268. Chamillard, A. T., & Braun, K. A. (2000). Evaluating programming ability in an introductory computer science course. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 32(1), 212-216. Coull, N. J., & Duncan, I. M. (2011). Emergent requirements for supporting introductory programming. Innovation in Teaching and Learning in Information and Computer Sciences, 10(1), 78-85. Dalal, N., Dalal, P., Kak, S., & Antonenko, P. (2009). Rapid digital game creation for broadening participation in computing and fostering crucial thinking skills. International Journal of Social and Humanistic Computing, 1(2), 123-137. Daly, C., & Waldron, J. (2004, March). Assessing the assessment of programming ability. In ACM SIGCSE Bulletin (Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 210-213). ACM. Ford, M., & Venema, S. (2010). Assessing the Success of an Introductory Programming Course. Journal of Information Technology Education, 9. Gomes, A., & Mendes, A. J. (2007). Learning to program-difficulties and solutions. In International Conference on Engineering Education–ICEE (Vol. 2007). Hawi, N. (2010). Causal attributions of success and failure made by undergraduate students in an introductory level computer programming course. Computers & Education, 54(4), 1127-1136. Hawi, N. S. (2012). A CAD (Classroom Assessment Design) of a Computer Programming Course. Online Submission. Ismail, M. N., Ngah, N. A., & Umar, I. N. (2010). INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY IN THE TEACHING OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING: A NEED ASSESSMENT ANALYSES. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 9(2). Kuechler, W. L., & Simkin, M. G. (2003). How well do multiple choice tests evaluate student understanding in computer programming classes?. Journal of Information Systems Education, 14(4), 389-400. Lopez, M., Whalley, J., Robbins, P., & Lister, R. (2008, September). Relationships between reading, tracing and writing skills in introductory programming. In Proceedings of the Fourth international Workshop on Computing Education Research (pp. 101-112). ACM. Pears, A. N. (2010, October). Enhancing student engagement in an introductory programming course. In 40th Frontiers in Education Conference, ser. Proceedings of the Frontiers in Education Conference (No. 40). Pears, A., Seidman, S., Malmi, L., Mannila, L., Adams, E., Bennedsen, J., ... & Paterson, J. (2007, December). A survey of literature on the teaching of introductory programming. In ACM SIGCSE Bulletin (Vol. 39, No. 4, pp. 204-223). ACM. Rajaravivarma, R. (2005). A games-based approach for teaching the introductory programming course. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 37(4), 98-102.