Teaching programming with an eventdriven programming language problems and considerations'

1
Teaching programming with an event-driven
programming language problems and
considerations.

• University of Wales Institute Cardiff
• Cardiff School of Management.
• Jason Williams jjwilliams_at_uwic.ac.uk
• Richard Adlam radlam_at_uwic.ac.uk
• Lynne Norris-Jones lnorris_at_uwic.ac.uk
• Kelvin Hughes kmhughes_at_uwic.ac.uk

2
Introduction

• Event driven programming is commonly used as a
  first language.
• Novel interfaces with controls helps in gaining
  the students interest.
• Develop small applications in a relatively short
  amount of time.
• Industry often demands students with skills in
  visual programming languages.

3
Introduction

• Perceived problems
• Focus on the controls, events and properties.
• Less focus on basic constructs of sequence,
  selection and iteration.
• Undermines logic of programming for future work.

4
Introduction

• Aim
• Document the problems associated with teaching
  programming using event driven programming
  languages.
• Evaluate teaching programming with and without
  the tools.
• Develop a model for teaching using an event
  driven programming language.

5
Method
6
Method

• Students for 2006 (n41) and 2007 (n60) intake
• 2006 with controls, 2007 without
• Results for first 3 assignments
• Questionnaire
• Mann-Whitney analysis
• Interview
• Mixed-method approach try to neutralise bias

7
Results Assignment Marks
8
Results

• Assignment Questions
• Sets of questions to do each week for Assignment
  12.
• Similar questions, but 2007 didnt use controls.
• Assignment 3 similar assignment with both using
  controls.

9
Results Assignment Marks
No significant differences between years
10
(No Transcript)
11
Results Assignment Marks
12
Results - Questionnaires
13
Results - Questionnaires

• Understanding Do students understand how to
  program with controls in EDPL.
• Perceptions What do students think of EDPL.
• Confusion Do controls in EDPL confuse students?
• Learning technique How do they prioritise the
  use controls in EDPL.
• Strongly Agree Agree - Dont know Disagree -
  Strongly Disagree
• 1 2 3 4
  5

14
Results - Questionnaires

• Understanding - Do students understand how to
  program with controls in EDPL.
• The controls in VB are more important than things
  like loops and If Statements.
• I felt that I understood how to program in VB by
  the end of the first term.
• Controls in VB are just as important as the
  programming.
• I can develop good programs in VB without any
  programming.
• I can develop a program in VB with only one
  control on the form.

15
Results - Questionnaires

• 2006 students thought they understood programming
  by end of 1st term.
• Marks would disagree.
• False sense of understanding.
• 2006 students thought that they could develop a
  program using 1 control (20 difference).
• Actually no need for any controls.
• Differentiation between programming and controls.

16
Results - Questionnaires

• Perceptions - What do students think of EDPL
• I felt more comfortable setting control
  properties rather than programming in VB.
• You dont need controls in VB to program.
• Setting control properties in VB is as important
  as the programming.
• I spend just as much time on designing the screen
  in VB as I do with programming.
• I spend a lot of time on designing the user
  interface in VB when I program.

Plt0.05
17
Results - Questionnaires

• Setting control properties in VB is as important
  as the programming.
• 64.1 of 2006 students agreed
• Too much focus on controls
• I spend a lot of time on designing the user
  interface in VB when I program.
• Large percentage of students agreed with this
• Over emphasis on moving controls around

18
Results - Questionnaires

• You dont need controls in VB to program.
• Students think that controls are always needed
• Unaware of running programs without controls
• Surprising for 2007 students

19
Results - Questionnaires

• Confusion - Do controls in EDPL confuse students?
• I found the controls in VB confusing.
• I found it difficult to understand how the
  programming linked to controls in VB.
• I can change the appearance of controls through
  programming in VB.
• I feel that the controls in VB are difficult to
  use.
• I try not to use too many controls in VB when I
  program.

Plt0.05
20
Results - Questionnaires

• I found it difficult to understand how the
  programming linked to controls in VB.
• 2007 students disagreed more than 2006.
• 2007 student had a better understanding of
  controls.
• I can change the appearance of controls through
  programming in VB.
• Much focus on this with 2006 students
• 2007 students indifferent answer
• More focus with 2006 students on controls

21
Results - Questionnaires

• I feel that the controls in VB are difficult to
  use.
• All students happy with using controls.
• I try not to use too many controls in VB when I
  program.
• 2007 agreed with this statement.
• More focus on programming, less on the controls.
• Less confusion on how controls used and their
  purpose.

22
Results - Questionnaires

• Learning technique How do they prioritise the
  use controls in EDPL.
• I find it easier to program in VB without using
  controls.
• I design the screen in VB before thinking about
  the programming.
• I dont need to use a lot of controls when I
  program in VB.
• The layout of the form is more important than the
  programming in VB.
• Controls are as important as the programming in
  VB.

23
Results - Questionnaires

• I find it easier to program in VB without using
  controls.
• Most students disagreed with this
• More so with 2007 students
• I design the screen in VB before thinking about
  the programming.
• 2006 students focused more on screen design
• 2007 students disagreed
• No student strongly disagreed worrying!

24
Results - Questionnaires

• The layout of the form is more important than
  the programming in VB.
• More 2007 students agreed with this
• 2006 students disagreed
• Undermines findings so far, but interesting area
  for further study?
• Controls are as important as the programming in
  VB.
• All students recognise the importance of controls
  in VB

25
Results - Interviews
26
Results - Interviews

• I found it easier without controls.
• Id like to do some more proper programming.
• I was OK until we started using text boxes and
  stuff.
• I spent far too long on designing the screen.
• I liked creating the interface more than the
  programming.

27
Results - Interviews

• Themes
• Initially, controls confused students.
• Students spent far too much time designing the
  interface.
• 2007 students comfortable with the basic
  programming constructs.
• Enjoyed creating the screen, apart form above
  issues.

28
Results - Interviews

• Themes
• Discussion on what was more important
  controls/programming.
• 2007 students more comfortable with programming
  environment.
• 2006 students struggled linking code to the
  controls.

29
Discussion
30
Discussion

• No significant differences with results, but an
  overall increase in marks with 2007 students.
• More A grade students and less failures in 2007.
• 2007 students had a clearer understanding on how
  controls were used with programming.
• Students enjoyed using controls.

31
Discussion

• The addition of controls took focus away from the
  programming and all students focused more on the
  design.
• 2007 students could program better with controls.
• All students, once shown controls, spent a lot of
  time on designing screens.
• 2007 students had a better understanding of
  programming.

32
Conclusions
33
Conclusions

• Event driven programming languages make
  programming interesting for students.
• Too much attention on controls confuses/distract
  students.
• Controls introduced after understanding the
  basics.

34
Conclusions

• In my experience the biggest deficiency with
  many programmers taken on from universities is
  probably their lack of analysis skills in being
  able to develop appropriate algorithms.  This may
  stem from an over-emphasis on interface
  development skills at university.
• Software Development Manager with Logicom

35
Teaching programming with an event-driven
programming language problems and
considerations.

• University of Wales Institute Cardiff
• Cardiff School of Management.
• Jason Williams jjwilliams_at_uwic.ac.uk
• Richard Adlam radlam_at_uwic.ac.uk
• Lynne Norris-Jones lnorris_at_uwic.ac.uk
• Kelvin Hughes kmhughes_at_uwic.ac.uk