ERIC Number: EJ1393219
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Jun
Pages: 38
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-1946-6226
A Think-Aloud Study of Novice Debugging
ACM Transactions on Computing Education, v23 n2 Article 28 Jun 2023
Debugging is a core skill required by programmers, yet we know little about how to effectively teach the process of debugging. The challenges of learning debugging are compounded for novices who lack experience and are still learning the tools they need to program effectively. In this work, we report a case study in which we used a think-aloud protocol to gain insight into the behaviour of three students engaged in debugging tasks. Our qualitative analysis reveals a variety of helpful practices and barriers that limit the effectiveness of debugging. We observe that comprehension, evidence-based activities, and workflow practices all contribute to novice debugging success. Lack of sustained effort, precision, and methodical processes negatively impact debugging effectiveness. We anticipate that understanding how students engage in debugging tasks will aid future work to address ineffective behaviours and promote effective debugging activities.
Descriptors: Protocol Analysis, Novices, Troubleshooting, Programming, Teaching Methods, Computer Science Education, Comprehension, Evidence Based Practice, Barriers
Association for Computing Machinery. 2 Penn Plaza Suite 701, New York, NY 10121. Tel: 800-342-6626; Tel: 212-626-0500; Fax: 212-944-1318; e-mail: acmhelp@acm.org; Web site: http://toce.acm.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A