An engaging first programming class (CS1) often inspires students' passion for computer science (CS). However, the evidence in the literature suggests that the average CS1 classes are anything but engaging for many students. The performance of CS compared to other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses in international…

In the face of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the hybrid teaching model has garnered significant attention for its combination of the depth of traditional education with the convenience of distance learning. Focusing on the domain of computer programming language instruction, this study innovatively designs a hybrid teaching…

In recent years, flipping classrooms has become a popular topic of discussion. However, few previous studies have focused on the effect of the flow experience on programming self-efficacy. To address this gap, the present researchers developed a model that included six research hypotheses. The study applied a flipped classroom model to a…

Robotics education has received widespread attention in K-12 education. Studies have pointed out that in robotics courses, learners face challenges in learning abstract content, such as constructing a robot with a good structure and writing programs to drive a robot to complete specific learning tasks. The present study proposed the embodied…

In recent years, learning programming has been a challenge for both learners and educators. How to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes has been a significant concern for researchers. This study examines the effects of AI-based pedagogical agents on students' learning experiences in programming courses, focusing on web game development…

Background: Being easy to learn and fun, block-based programming tools are widely used to teach students introductory programming. Scratch and LEGO robots are two popular block-based programming tools. However, the objects they manipulate are completely different. Scratch manipulates graphical virtual sprites, whereas LEGO robots manipulate…

A global concern in recent years has been the formal incorporation of computing and digital technology subjects into high school curricula. Despite many initiatives to make these subjects accessible to students, significant barriers to uptake remain in many countries. In this study we convened a panel of 32 academic, research, and other experts…

Computer Programming Learners usually fail to get approved in introductory courses because solving problems using computers is a complex task. The most important reason for that failure is concerned with motivation; motivation strongly impacts on the learning process. In this paper we discuss how techniques like program animation, and automatic…

Gamification in education is the use of game-based mechanisms, game aesthetics and game thinking to ensure student motivation and engagement, superior learning, and a behavioral change. This study was conducted to investigate the nature of the students' opinions on gamification and on activities that were carried out to create a rich instructional…

Different instructional strategies have been drawn to assist elementary school students in improving computational thinking (CT) skills and student engagement (SE) in unplugged programming activities. This paper aimed to explore how the interactive strategies of unplugged programming affect CT skills and SE. The study was conducted based on a…

This study seeks to deepen the understanding of the direct and indirect effects of human-computer dialogic interaction programming activities, facilitated by ChatGPT, on student engagement. Data were collected from 109 Chinese high school students who engaged in programming tasks using either ChatGPT-driven dialogic interaction or traditional pair…

The game-based learning approach to developing students' computational thinking (CT) current has received attention from researchers. However, the compatibility between games and instruction is often insufficient to accommodate the entertaining and educational nature of the curriculum entirely, and the benefits of game-based learning could be…

Aim/Purpose: The key objective of this research is to examine whether fix-and-play educational games improve students' performance in learning programming languages. We also quantified the flow experiences of the students and analyzed how the flow contributes to their academic performances. Background: Traditionally, learning the first computer…

Knowing the factors affecting students' learning achievement in digital learning is a crucial educational issue nowadays. However, recent research has paid less attention to how an individual's internal factors (prior knowledge) influence their learning achievement through cognitive engagement, and previous studies generally employed students'…

Background: With the increasing interdisciplinarity between computer science (CS) and other fields, a growing number of non-CS students are embracing programming. However, there is a gap in research concerning differences in programming learning between CS and non-CS students. Previous studies predominantly relied on outcome-based assessments,…