Online Programming Tutors Or Paper Study Guides?
2016 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)(2016)
摘要
An undergraduate data structures course is challenging to teach due to the vast number of complex topics that need to be covered. The use of instructional tools, such as an online programming tutor, can reinforce topics students typically find difficult. Prior research has shown using programming tutors can have a positive impact on student learning in an introductory Computer Science course. We hypothesized that we would see similar results using an online tutor in a second year programming course. Our study used an existing programming tutor, Problets, to supplement course instruction on two identified topics (functions and pointers) over one semester in two sections of a data structures course. In the first part of the study, we compared the optional use of an online tutor to no supplemental instruction. In the second part of the study, we compared the use of the online tutor to paper study guides. We conducted a two -tailed unpaired t -test on the students' midterm examination scores. The results from the first module showed that simply providing an optional tool had limited value. Surprisingly, the results from the second module showed no significant difference based on the type of practice. We discuss possible explanations for these results.
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关键词
online programming tutor,data structures,evaluation,computer science education,incentives,study guide
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