Unified Modeling Language (UML) Class Diagramming is the commonly accepted mechanism used to describe relationships between software components. In addition, it is an essential educational tool that is used to convey the structure of software and the patterns of software design to students. Unfortunately, UML is a visual-only mechanism and…

Cognitive ability is closely associated with the acquisition of programming skills, and enhancing learners' cognitive ability is a crucial factor in improving the efficacy of programming education. Adaptive feedback strategies can provide learners with personalized support based on their learning context, which helps to stimulate their interest…

Computer programming provides a framework for interdisciplinary learning in sciences, arts and languages. However, increasing integration of programming in K--12 shows that the block-based and text-based dichotomy of programming environments does not reflect the spectrum of their affordance. Hence, educators are confronted with a fundamental…

In recent years, the technological revolution has changed the way we see reality and interact with it. Inevitably, education and didactic planning have also had to deal with new technologies. Indeed, the presence of digital tools has radically changed people's lives since childhood. Many educational realities have exploited this digital…

One of the most commonly cited theories in computing education research is cognitive load theory (CLT), which explains how learning is affected by the bottleneck of human working memory and how teaching may work around that limitation. The theory has evolved over a number of decades, addressing shortcomings in earlier versions; other issues remain…

The emerging impact of gamification in the field of education has generated several possible avenues for enhancing learning outcomes and raised a large number of as-yet unanswered questions as to the effectiveness of different gamification techniques in different contexts. This quantitative survey study examines the impact of gamification on…

Contribution: This article features a systematic literature review with the objective of presenting a study that reflects the current scenario of research on the cognitive load theory (CLT) in the domain of teaching and learning computer programming. Background: Computer programming is a highly cognitive skill, requiring mastering multiple…

Virtual Reality (VR) is increasingly recognized as a promising tool to enhance learning, yet research on the use of VR instructional approaches for online learning remains limited. The present study aims to address this research gap by examining the effects of VR instructional approaches and textual cues on learning. We conducted an educational VR…

This study aimed to evaluate the Online Flipped Classroom (OFC) instruction process in the context of Transactional Distance (TD) and Cognitive Load (CL). The study was conducted using a mixed-methods design. The participants were nine graduate students. One of them participated in the process asynchronously and seven of them participated…

Programming skills are increasingly important to the current digital economy, yet these skills have long been regarded as challenging to acquire. A central challenge in learning programming skills involves the simultaneous use of multiple component skills. This article investigates why students struggle with integrating component skills--a…

Learning basic programming concepts in computer science-related fields poses a challenge for students, to the extent that it becomes an academic-social problem, resulting in high failure and dropout rates. Proposed solutions to the problem can be found in the literature, such as the development of new programming languages and environments, the…

Background: Group size is one of the important factors that affect collaborative learning, however, there is no consensus in the literature on how many students should the groups be composed of during the problem-solving process. Objectives: This study investigated the effect of group size in a K-12 introductory Artificial Intelligence course by…

In this paper, MTL, an approach for visualization-based pedagogy, is analyzed and contextualized in both Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) and Dual Coding Theory (DCT). Through MTL, lectures, tutorials, laboratory sessions and individual study in learning and teaching programming are all carried out using two cognitive channels; verbal and non-verbal.…

This study explores the effect of self-regulated learning support on learners' cognitive load and problem-solving performance, considering cases from well-structured to ill-structured tasks in a computer programing course. Sixty-seven undergraduate students in a computer programing fundamentals course were randomly assigned into one of two groups:…

Lewis M. Terman's "Genetic Studies of Genius" stands as one of the landmark studies of the 20th century in the educational and psychological sciences. This longitudinal study of individuals in the top 1% of general cognitive ability has sparked interest and debate among scholars for nearly 100 years. In this study, we examine how…