The aim of this explanatory study is to identify the causes of intrinsic cognitive load in programming process. For this purpose, a method based on two dimensions; programming knowledge types (syntactic, semantic, and strategic) and programming constructs was proposed. The proposed method was tested with high school students enrolled in Computer…

Grouping students according to their abilities and promoting deeper interaction and moderation are key issues in improving computational thinking in collaborative programming. However, the distribution characteristics and evolving pathways of computational thinking in different groups have not been deeply explored. During the course of a…

Programming education often imposes a high cognitive burden on novice programmers, requiring them to master syntax, logic, and problem-solving while simultaneously managing debugging tasks. Prior knowledge is a critical factor influencing programming learning performance. A lack of foundational knowledge limits students' self-regulated learning…

This study investigated the effects of pre-training types on cognitive load, self-efficacy, and problem-solving in computer programming. Pre-training was provided to help learners acquire schemas related to problem-solving strategies. 84 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to one of three groups and each group received three different…

Object-oriented programming distinguishes between instance attributes and methods and class attributes and methods, annotated by the "static" modifier. Novices encounter difficulty understanding the means and implications of "static" attributes and methods. The paper has two outcomes: (a) a detailed classification of aspects of…

There are plentiful online programming resources that enable learners to develop an understanding of conceptual knowledge and practical implementation. However, learners, especially novices, often experience difficulties locating the required information to solve the programming problems. Differ from natural language in syntax and convention,…

Debugging is essential for identifying and rectifying errors in programming, yet time constraints and students' trivialization of errors often hinder progress. This study examines differences in debugging challenges and strategies among students with varying computational thinking (CT) competencies using weekly coding journals from an online…

In pedagogical language, "scaffolding" is frequently used to replace the expression "support in learning". In didactic terms, the practice in the classroom shows that various types of support, such as the teacher, colleagues, and technologies, contribute to more efficient learning. In terms of technologies, the present study…

This study investigates the effects of metacognitive and cognitive strategies for computational thinking (CT) on managing cognitive load and enhancing problem-solving skills in collaborative programming. Four different scaffolding conditions were provided to help learners optimize cognitive load and improve their problem-solving abilities. A total…

Students learning computer science frequently struggle with debugging errors in their code. These struggles can have significant downstream effects--negatively influencing how students assess their programming ability and contributing to their decision to drop out of CS courses. However, debugging instruction is often an overlooked topic, and…

Serious games are a growing field in academic research and they are considered an effective tool for education. Game-based learning invokes motivation and engagement in students resulting in effective instructional outcomes. An essential aspect of a serious game is the method of support for presenting the teaching material and providing feedback.…

Learning a computer programming language is typically one of the basic requirements of being an information technology (IT) major. While other studies previously investigate computer programming self-efficacy and grit, their relationships between "shallow" and "deep" learning (Miller et al., 1996) have not been thoroughly…

Tables are fundamental tools for handling data and play a crucial role in developing both computational thinking (CT) and mathematical thinking (MT). Despite this, they receive limited attention in research and design. This study investigates pupils' attitudes toward and approaches to working with tables in informatics education, focusing on the…

This paper considers how a curricular design that integrated computer programming and creative movement shaped students' engagement with computing. We draw on data from a camp for middle schoolers, focusing on an activity in which students used the programming environment NetLogo to re-represent their physical choreography. We analyze the extent…

Background and Context: Multiple studies report that experienced instructors lack consensus on the difficulty of programming tasks for novices. However, adequately gauging task difficulty is needed for alignment: to select and structure tasks in order to assess what students can and cannot do. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine…