In learning to program and understanding how a programming language controls a computer, learners develop both insights and misconceptions whilst their mental models are gradually refined. It is important that the learner is able to distinguish the different elements and roles of a computer (compiler, interpreter, memory, etc.), which novice…

Constructing a consensus problem space from extensive qualitative data for an ill-structured real-life problem and expressing the result to a broader audience is challenging. To effectively communicate a complex problem space, visualization of that problem space must elucidate inter-causal relationships among the problem variables. In this…

As vast amounts of data have become available in business in recent years, the demand for data scientists has been rising. The author of this article provides a tutorial on how one entry-level machine learning competition from Kaggle, an online community for data scientists, can be integrated into an undergraduate econometrics course as an…

Computation is intertwined with essentially all aspects of physics research and is invaluable for physicists' careers. Despite its disciplinary importance, integration of computation into physics education remains a challenge and, moreover, has tended to be constructed narrowly as a route to solving physics problems. Here, we broaden Physics…

Driven by our technologically advanced workplaces and the surge in demand for proficiency in the computing disciplines, it is becoming imperative to provide computational thinking (CT) opportunities to all students. One approach for making computing accessible and relevant to learning and problem-solving in K-12 environments is to integrate it…

As a programmer when solving a problem, a number of conscious and unconscious cognitive operations are being performed. Problem-solving is a gradual and cyclic activity; as the mind is adjusting the problem to its schemas formed by its previous experiences, the programmer gets closer and closer to understanding and defining the problem. The…

Wheel-spinning refers to the failure to master a skill in a timely manner or after a considerable number of practice opportunities. Several past studies have developed wheel-spinning models in the areas of Mathematics and Physics. However, no models have been made for the context of novice programming. The purpose of this study was to develop…

The higher education system of the Republic of Kazakhstan emphasizes the need for the development of institutional science, including the field of information technology, with a priority on fundamental research. Professional training of future computer science teachers requires them to know the range of tasks related to computer graphics, and the…

In this article, we discuss the possible connection between the programming language and the paradigm behind it, and programmers' tendency to adopt an external or internal perspective of the system they develop. Based on a qualitative analysis, we found that when working with the visual, interobject language of live sequence charts (LSC),…

Recursion is an important concept for any computer science student to master. Many first year students develop the viable "copies" mental model of recursion and can successfully trace the execution of a simple recursive function. This article discusses a study focused on determining whether the ability to successfully trace a recursive…

One of the major issues related to teaching an introductory programming course is the excessive amount of time spent on the language's syntax, which leaves little time for developing skills in program design and solution creativity. The wide variation in the students' backgrounds, coupled with the traditional classroom (one size-fits-all) teaching…

We present COLLECT-UML, a constraint-based intelligent tutoring system (ITS) that teaches object-oriented analysis and design using Unified Modelling Language (UML). UML is easily the most popular object-oriented modelling technology in current practice. While teaching how to design UML class diagrams, COLLECT-UML also provides feedback on…

Identifies weaknesses of conceptual modelling languages for the problem domain of information systems (IS) development. Outlines an approach called facet modelling of real-world problem domains to deal with the complexity of contemporary analysis problems. Shows how facet models can be defined and visualized; discusses facet modelling in relation…

The research reported in this monograph was conducted by university researchers and classroom teachers who investigated real teaching issues. Each study is a low-budget or no-budget collaborative research project that focuses on effective teaching and on learning and assessment of Logo in classrooms. The studies are concerned with small numbers of…