TY - GEN
T1 - Novice Learner Experiences in Software Development
T2 - 11th International Conference on Computer Supported Education, CSEDU 2019
AU - Higgins, Catherine
AU - O’Leary, Ciaran
AU - McAvinia, Claire
AU - Ryan, Barry
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - This paper presents a study that is part of a larger research project aimed at addressing the gap in the provision of educational software development processes for freshman, novice undergraduate learners, to improve proficiency levels. With the aim of understanding how such learners problem solve in software development in the absence of a formal process, this case study examines the experiences and depth of learning acquired by a sample set of novice undergraduates. A novel adaption of the Kirkpatrick framework known as AKM-SOLO is used to frame the evaluation. The study finds that without the scaffolding of an appropriate structured development process tailored to novices, students are in danger of failing to engage with the problem solving skills necessary for software development, particularly the skill of designing solutions prior to coding. It also finds that this lack of engagement directly impacts their affective state on the course and continues to negatively impact their proficiency and affective state in the second year of their studies leading to just under half of students surveyed being unsure if they wish to pursue a career in software development when they graduate.
AB - This paper presents a study that is part of a larger research project aimed at addressing the gap in the provision of educational software development processes for freshman, novice undergraduate learners, to improve proficiency levels. With the aim of understanding how such learners problem solve in software development in the absence of a formal process, this case study examines the experiences and depth of learning acquired by a sample set of novice undergraduates. A novel adaption of the Kirkpatrick framework known as AKM-SOLO is used to frame the evaluation. The study finds that without the scaffolding of an appropriate structured development process tailored to novices, students are in danger of failing to engage with the problem solving skills necessary for software development, particularly the skill of designing solutions prior to coding. It also finds that this lack of engagement directly impacts their affective state on the course and continues to negatively impact their proficiency and affective state in the second year of their studies leading to just under half of students surveyed being unsure if they wish to pursue a career in software development when they graduate.
KW - Freshman university learners
KW - Kirkpatrick framework
KW - SOLO taxonomy
KW - Software development undergraduate education
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85097381555&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-030-58459-7_15
DO - 10.1007/978-3-030-58459-7_15
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85097381555
SN - 9783030584580
T3 - Communications in Computer and Information Science
SP - 308
EP - 330
BT - Computer Supported Education - 11th International Conference, CSEDU 2019, Revised Selected Papers
A2 - Lane, H. Chad
A2 - Zvacek, Susan
A2 - Uhomoibhi, James
PB - Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Y2 - 2 May 2019 through 4 May 2019
ER -