Improving Pass Rates In Introductory Programming

Tom Boyle, Claire Bradley, Peter Chalk, Ken Fisher, Ray Jones (LTRI, London Metropolitan University)

& Poppy Pickard (Bolton Institute)

Summary

• Crisis in the teaching and learning of Programming.

• Major project initiated in February ‘02 • In two higher education institutions. • Substantial changes to the curriculum • New online teaching & learning

environment• The project has involved over 700

students • Improvements in pass rates 12-23%

Problem & Solution

Early failure to understand key concepts in the first few weeks

Create core development team (March ‘02) - module tutors, researcher, multimedia developer

Focussing on:Curriculum development;Organization of the teaching environment;Online learning environment

Delivery

Common curriculum = concentration of resources

Improve module staffing & organisationOnline element = VLE (WebCT) and web-

based multimedia learning objects (LOs)Discrete LOs based on clear learning

goals, & close attention to pedagogical quality

Accessing learning objects from the virtual learning

environment

While loop learning object code animation

Learning object drag & drop quiz

Pedagogy & assessment

• Interactive visualization of topics students otherwise found very abstract (Object World library in other paper tomorrow)

• Small scale problems within a regime of continuous assessment

• Annotated in their log book and submitted using the VLE

Evaluation

Track student use of LOs & VLE activityEvaluate student satisfaction – questionnaires

& interviewsAssessment of impact on success/fail

rates All show positive resultsSatisfaction levels 80-90%Pass rates up by 12-23%

Student satisfaction (n=223)

How useful are:

Very useful Useful

Lectures 37% 48%

Lab exercises 42% 44%

Text book ? 18% 38%

Text LOs 29% 64%

Animation LOs

46% 44%

Quizzes in LOs

34% 56%

Conclusions

Pass rates improved, because of…?Student enjoyment of visualisation approachConstructivism improves learningBlending of face-to-face with virtual learningManagement of learning using VLEProvision of scaffolded apprenticeship modelReduced student-staff ratioOnline automatic assessment & feedback

Further Work

How will students do at level 2/3?Approach modified this year (different text

book) but LOs proving re-usableLearning Objects need

national repository (LTSN?)standards (IMS) & support/ production skills