Computational thinking in physics has many different forms, definitions, and implementations depending on the level of physics or the institution it is presented in. To better integrate computational thinking in introductory physics, we need to understand what physicists find important about computational thinking in introductory physics. We…

The rise in demand for computer programming jobs has created a significant need for computer programming training. Online learning can be an effective tool for meeting the needs of these job demands. The challenge for universities is that computer programming is perceived as a difficult course by many students (Askar & Davenport, 2009; Baser,…

A solid foundation in computer programming is critical for students to succeed in advanced computing courses, but teaching such an introductory course is challenging. Therefore, it is important to develop better approaches in order to improve teaching effectiveness and enhance student learning. In this paper, we present 26 tips for teaching…

There are many factors to consider when selecting a first programming language for the management information systems (MIS) program. Determining the appropriate language for introductory MIS programming courses is challenging due to the lack of research guidance that addresses the specific context of programming in MIS curricula. This paper…

With the recent renewed interest in programming, online learning environments like Codecademy have become quite popular, boasting some 25 million members worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to describe the author's experience using Codecademy Interactive Lessons as an instructional supplement in an introductory Python programming course. The…

Teaching an introductory programming course to an average of 40 students while monitoring their performance can be a challenge for instructors. Preparing coding exercises with test cases and checking students' programs can prove to be time consuming at times. Moreover, programming has been known to be quite difficult for students to learn. To…