This correspondence describes an adaptation of puzzle-based learning to teaching an introductory computer programming course. Students from two offerings of the course--with and without the puzzle-based learning--were surveyed over a two-year period. Empirical results show that the synthesis of puzzle-based learning concepts with existing course…

The demand for graduates with exposure in Cloud Computing is on the rise. For many educational institutions, the challenge is to decide on how to incorporate appropriate cloud-based technologies into their curricula. In this paper, we describe our design and experiences of integrating Cloud Computing components into seven third/fourth-year…

The number of students choosing to study computing at university continues to decline this century, with an even sharper decline in female students. This article presents the results of a series of interviews with university students studying computing courses in Australia that uncovered the influence of happenstance and compromise on course…

While the ready-made Lego[TM] Robotics kits are popular in schools and are used by students at both primary and secondary year levels, using the Picaxe microcontroller (chip) to create simple electronic devices, including robotic devices is less popular. The latter imposes an additional challenge as a result of the need to construct the universal…

A new classification system for computing education papers is presented and applied to every computing education paper published between January 2004 and January 2007 at the two premier computing education conferences in Australia and New Zealand. We find that while simple reports outnumber other types of paper, a healthy proportion of papers…

Teaching future knowledge engineers, the necessary skills for designing and implementing intelligent software solutions required by business, industry and research today, is a very tall order. These skills are not easily taught in traditional undergraduate computer science lectures; nor are the practical experiences easily reinforced in laboratory…

A summary of the initial planning meeting for the Pacific Educational Computer Network (PECN) is presented. Representatives from the United Nations, Australia, Japan, and the United States met to inquire into the feasibility of the proposed PECN. Topics discussed were the status of computing in the Pacific, the technology of a Pacific network, the…

The recommendations of the Commonwealth Schools Commission's National Advisory Committee on Computers in Schools are summarized. They are classified in terms of curriculum development, professional development, support services, software and courseware, hardware, and organization. (MNS)

The discussion of the contribution Australian universities might make in introducing computer technology to the developing countries draws upon over 20 years of experience with students from Southeast Asia. The results of several studies of the performances of these students both while in Australia and after returning to their own countries have…

The author describes an evaluation of a program conducted in three South Australian high schools using a mini-computer. While the computer provides the means, the ultimate success of the computer's use in the school depends on the ability and enthusiasm of the teaching staff involved. (BT)

Relates the history of computer studies and its impact on the secondary education environment in Australia. Discusses how the mass media and computer distributors have made parents feel that access to computer education is essential in their children's education. (GG)

The IADIS CELDA 2012 Conference intention was to address the main issues concerned with evolving learning processes and supporting pedagogies and applications in the digital age. There had been advances in both cognitive psychology and computing that have affected the educational arena. The convergence of these two disciplines is increasing at a…