The Analysis of the Graduate Theses Related to Programming Instruction

Year 2017, Volume: 6 Issue: 3, 99 - 110, 07.11.2017

Ali İhsan Benzer , Ali Kürşat Erümit

Abstract

The
aim of this study is to examine graduate theses including the
experimental study on programming instruction in the subject of
“education and training” in Turkey by using content analysis
method.

The
research problem of this study is "how are the tendencies of
graduate theses including experimental study on programming
instruction?"
In this context, it focuses on the following sub-problems:

Regarding
the graduate theses with experimental study on programming
instruction in Turkey;

1. 
   

   
   What
   is the distribution by year?

   
   
2. 
   

   
   What
   is the distribution by thesis type?

   
   
3. 
   

   
   What
   is the distribution by research method?

   
   
4. 
   

   
   What
   is the distribution by sample type?

   
   
5. 
   

   
   What
   is the distribution by data collection tool?

   
   
6. 
   

   
   What
   is the distribution by programming tool is used?

   
   
7. 
   

   
   What
   is the distribution by programming language is used?

   
   
8. 
   

   
   What
   is the distribution by duration of the experiment?

   
   

This
study is planned as qualitative research and it is based on document
analysis as data collection method. The thesis review form that
prepared by researchers was used to collect the data. The content
analysis was used to analyze of the data collected in the study. As a
result of the searching in the Thesis Center of Council of Higher
Education, 29 theses which contain at least one of the terms
"programlama", "kodlama", "coding" and
"programming" in the abstract of the study in the subject
of "education and training " were selected and examined for
the purpose of research. The graduate theses included in this study
were coded based on the thesis review form. The findings of this
study were displayed in graphs showing the frequency and percentage
values.

According
to the findings obtained from the graduate theses by using the thesis
review form, it was found out that;

1. 
   

   
   The
   number of master's theses is more than the number of doctoral
   dissertations.

   
   
2. 
   

   
   The
   number of theses related to programming instruction has increased in
   recent years.

   
   
3. 
   

   
   The
   most preferred research method is the mixed research method.

   
   
4. 
   

   
   The
   most used data collection tools are the scales and the success
   tests. In addition, many theses have used more than one data
   collection tool. The most commonly preferred scale type is the
   programming attitude scale.

   
   
5. 
   

   
   The
   most preferred sampling type is the undergraduate level. The most of
   the undergraduate students are enrolled in the department of
   computer education and instructional technology in the faculty of
   education.

   
   
6. 
   

   
   The
   most preferred programming language for programming instruction is
   the C# programming language.

   
   
7. 
   

   
   In
   some of the theses, the multimedia materials developed by the
   researcher are used to support programming instruction. The impact
   of the media on teaching programming was investigated in these
   theses. In some of the theses, the block based programming tools are
   used. In these theses the effect of the programming tool on teaching
   programming is examined. The most preferred visual programming tool
   is Scratch.

   
   
8. 
   

   
   The
   most of the experiments lasted between 4 and 6 weeks.

   
   

According
to the results of the research, suggestions related to programming
instruction can be listed as following;

1. 
   

   
   The
   research can be conducted for pre-primary, primary and secondary
   school students about programming instruction.

   
   
2. 
   

   
   The
   research can be conducted for students in various undergraduate
   programs other than the department of computer education and
   instructional technology.

   
   
3. 
   

   
   The
   problem-solving and software development approaches can be used in
   the research for programming instruction.

   
   
4. 
   

   
   Instructional
   design models can be used for effective programming instruction.

   
   
5. 
   

   
   The
   methods about how programming should be taught can be investigated
   and compared.

   
   

Keywords

Programming, Programming Instruction, Content Analysis, Graduate Theses

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