Program visualization is one of the various methods developed over the years to aid novices with their difficulties in learning to program. It consists of different graphical--often animated--and textual objects, visualizing the execution of programs. The aim of program visualization is to enhance students' understanding of different areas of…

Rising concern about America's ability to maintain its competitive position in the global economy has renewed interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. To understand who enters into and completes undergraduate programs in STEM fields, this report examined data from three major national studies: the 1995-96…

The objective of this study was to determine whether there was a quantifiable improvement in learning outcomes by integrating course materials in a 4-year baccalaureate program, utilizing a knowledge repository with a conceptual map that spans a discipline. Two new models were developed to provide the framework for this knowledge repository. A…

This paper presents a goal-based scenario approach to teaching introductory database concepts to undergraduates using two different scaffolding methods. One method, termed "worked-out examples," attempts to reduce extraneous cognitive load by requiring students to complete increasingly complex missing parts of worked out examples. The other…

Three different approaches to teaching introductory programming are reviewed: the incremental approach, the sub-language approach, and the mini-language approach. The paper analyzes all three approaches, providing a brief history of each and describing an example of a programming environment supporting this approach. In the incremental approach,…

In the hope that a general exchange of information on computer courses for humanists will be of help to persons contemplating or already teaching such, and in the hope of encouraging a continued growth in the universities offering these courses, article surveyed that field. (Author/RK)

This paper discusses five points related to developmental research on children learning to do Logo programming: (1) systematic developmental research documenting what children are learning as they learn to program is necessary; (2) Logo is cognitively complex beyond its early steps and difficult to learn without instructional guidance; (3) the…

Persistent conceptual bugs exist in how novices, from primary school to college age, program and understand programs. These bugs are not specific to a given programming language but appear to be language-independent. The three different classes of bugs are: (1) parallelism, the assumption that different lines in a program can be active at the same…

Designed for use by computer programming teachers, this booklet presents the concepts of structured programming and provides examples of how to implement this methodology, which provides a systematic way of organizing programs so that even large and complex programs are easier to understand and modify than unstructured programs. After a brief…

This pilot study tested the hypothesis that the logical thinking skills of middle-grades students are enhanced by teaching them computer programming using the BASIC programming language. A quasi-experimental design was used with 36 students randomly selected and assigned to one of two treatment groups: 18 students received no instruction in…

This computer literacy project, which was carried out with a group of fifth grade students, was designed to provide them with an enjoyable experience in learning about the computer through such activities as interactive programs, games, discussions, interviews, and field trips. Course content covered the history of computers, computer components,…

At the University of Illinois at Urbana, a computer based curriculum called Automated Computer Science Education System (ACSES) has been developed to supplement instruction in introductory computer science courses or to assist individuals interested in acquiring a foundation in computer science through independent study. The system, which uses…

On the basis of the experience gained in a Title III project called Computer Instruction NETWORK, the author presents some guidelines for the planning and implementation of a course at the high school level dealing with computers. The guide lists the first steps to be taken in setting up such a program, describes a teacher training program, and…

The digital computer can perform many functions in the junior college, from instruction through administrative operations and community service. Planning the computer center for institution-wide service requires particular attention to feasibility, organizational structure, staffing, physical planning, and financial implications. Depending on the…