CITER2003CITER2003

Student’s presentationStudent’s presentationRm 202, Runme Shaw, HKU 11:4Rm 202, Runme Shaw, HKU 11:4

5-12:15, 5-July, 20035-12:15, 5-July, 2003

Variation observed among some SVariation observed among some S4 students in learning elementary P4 students in learning elementary P

ascal programmingascal programming- Report on debugging behaviours- Report on debugging behaviours

Tam Wing ChingTam Wing Ching

Motivation of studyMotivation of study

Got complaints from students that it Got complaints from students that it was hard to do programming was hard to do programming assignments assignments

Wanted to discern the variations of Wanted to discern the variations of students in learning elementary students in learning elementary Pascal programmingPascal programming

Methodology Methodology

ObjectiveObjective• How students act and react to when How students act and react to when

they are doing programming practice in they are doing programming practice in front of computerfront of computer

AimAim• To narrow down focus, 2 buggy To narrow down focus, 2 buggy

programs were given to 6 S4 students programs were given to 6 S4 students taking Computer Studies and observed taking Computer Studies and observed their performances during debuggingtheir performances during debugging

Method of experimentMethod of experiment

RulesRules• In the experiments, students were required to In the experiments, students were required to

save their program trial each time to a new file save their program trial each time to a new file before trying to execute.before trying to execute.

• Students could do any modification and tried to Students could do any modification and tried to finish the programs initially with no external finish the programs initially with no external help but could do so afterwards when help but could do so afterwards when necessary.necessary.

EquipmentEquipment• Pascal compiler: Turbo Pascal 5.5Pascal compiler: Turbo Pascal 5.5

Program 1Program 1

program markprogram markbeginbegin case mark case mark ‘0’..’69’ : grade(f) ‘0’..’69’ : grade(f) ‘70’..’79’ : grade(c) ‘70’..’79’ : grade(c) ‘80’..’89’ : grade(b) ‘80’..’89’ : grade(b) ‘90’..’100’ : grade(a) ‘90’..’100’ : grade(a)end.end.

Program 2Program 2

program quardratic;program quardratic;var a, b, c: integer;var a, b, c: integer;beginbegin writeln(‘Please input a b c’); writeln(‘Please input a b c’); readln(a b c); readln(a b c); if then writeln(‘one root’) if then writeln(‘one root’) if then writeln(‘two roots’) if then writeln(‘two roots’) if then writeln(‘imaginary roots’) if then writeln(‘imaginary roots’) if then writeln(‘real root(s)’) if then writeln(‘real root(s)’)end.end.

Background of studentBackground of student

S4 students taking Computer StudiesS4 students taking Computer Studies Learned Computer Literacy from S1 to S3 Learned Computer Literacy from S1 to S3

on application programson application programs No prior experience of Pascal before S4No prior experience of Pascal before S4 Were taught about Pascal for 2 months Were taught about Pascal for 2 months

before the experimentsbefore the experiments All required Pascal knowledge was taught All required Pascal knowledge was taught

before the experimentsbefore the experiments Had used the compiler for 1 month before Had used the compiler for 1 month before

the experimentsthe experiments

AnalysisAnalysis

PrinciplePrinciple• Focused on how students act and react Focused on how students act and react • Time duration between trials not Time duration between trials not

analyzedanalyzed MethodMethod

• Trace programsTrace programs• Find out what students’ strategiesFind out what students’ strategies

Categorization of performanceCategorization of performance

DefinitionDefinition• If in terms of how much student learned If in terms of how much student learned

about Pascal knowledge being tested, it about Pascal knowledge being tested, it is reasonable to take the number of is reasonable to take the number of trials as the criteria of performance trials as the criteria of performance indicator.indicator.

• The fewer number of trials, the betterThe fewer number of trials, the better

Performance categorizationPerformance categorizationProgram Program

11Number Number of trialsof trials

PerformanPerformance ce

categorycategory

Program Program 22

Number Number of trialsof trials

PerformanPerformance ce

categorycategory

Student AStudent A 1111 medianmedian Student AStudent A 55 medianmedian

Student BStudent B 99 medianmedian Student BStudent B 22 betterbetter

Student CStudent C 44 betterbetter Student CStudent C 22 betterbetter

Student DStudent D 77 medianmedian Student DStudent D 77 medianmedian

Student EStudent E 2929 poorerpoorer Student EStudent E 3535 poorerpoorer

Student FStudent F 1515 poorerpoorer Student FStudent F 77 medianmedian

Characteristics of categorization Characteristics of categorization (better group)(better group)

Generally speaking, students in the better Generally speaking, students in the better group have comparatively more intrinsic group have comparatively more intrinsic knowledge or understanding of the Pascal knowledge or understanding of the Pascal knowledge being tested in the programs.knowledge being tested in the programs.

They need less number of trials to go They need less number of trials to go through.through.

Hence in this way, the computer provides Hence in this way, the computer provides a good means of visualization or a good means of visualization or implementation tool.implementation tool.

Characteristics of categorization Characteristics of categorization (median group)(median group)

Students in the median group often be “reminded” by the Students in the median group often be “reminded” by the compiler error prompts or “learned” from the prompts while compiler error prompts or “learned” from the prompts while doing debugging.doing debugging.

Or they could not handle too many program statements all Or they could not handle too many program statements all together, hence letting the compiler to remind whenever together, hence letting the compiler to remind whenever there are errors.there are errors.

By observation, students in this group usually bear the By observation, students in this group usually bear the strategies of trial and error.strategies of trial and error.

The criteria of successfulness in trial and error lies on The criteria of successfulness in trial and error lies on • 1. how much students learn about Pascal syntax1. how much students learn about Pascal syntax• 2. only 1 probing correction place is needed on each trial and 2. only 1 probing correction place is needed on each trial and

no more.no more.• 3. focus on one error place until it is solved.3. focus on one error place until it is solved.

Characteristics of categorization Characteristics of categorization (poorer group)(poorer group)

Students in this group usually have Students in this group usually have little knowledge about the Pascal little knowledge about the Pascal syntax being tested.syntax being tested.

They also lack of organized trial and They also lack of organized trial and error strategy that more than one error strategy that more than one correction at a time and focus shifted correction at a time and focus shifted alongside.alongside.

No immediate fall back on previous No immediate fall back on previous work when error prompt persists.work when error prompt persists.

ConclusionConclusion

Both better and median group could be Both better and median group could be beneficial from programming practice in beneficial from programming practice in front of a computer.front of a computer.

Of which, the median group comparatively Of which, the median group comparatively gains the maximum use of the computer gains the maximum use of the computer as a learning aid.as a learning aid.

However, the poorer group could be However, the poorer group could be “puzzled” or “defeated” by the compiler “puzzled” or “defeated” by the compiler error prompts after constant failures.error prompts after constant failures.

A news paper cuttingA news paper cutting

DiscussionDiscussion By variation theory in Phenomenography, we are suggBy variation theory in Phenomenography, we are sugg

ested to let students experience more in order to makested to let students experience more in order to make them learn.e them learn.

Also, from Szeto Wah’s passage, we are advised to aAlso, from Szeto Wah’s passage, we are advised to avoid producing impact of constant failure.void producing impact of constant failure.

Therefore, we must take more attention to help the pTherefore, we must take more attention to help the poorer group on doing programming practice.oorer group on doing programming practice.

The screening method of the poorer group could be thThe screening method of the poorer group could be the demonstrated method in my experiments. e demonstrated method in my experiments.

Further workFurther work This study is only a rough and premature This study is only a rough and premature

work.work. It is a beginning of understanding of how It is a beginning of understanding of how

my students react to the compiler error my students react to the compiler error prompts during their learning of prompts during their learning of programming.programming.

It is not clearly known how students It is not clearly known how students formulate their programs when doing formulate their programs when doing program writing.program writing.

Nor how many times of trials will be Nor how many times of trials will be attempted on general before students give attempted on general before students give up in doing programming.up in doing programming.

The ENDThe END

Special thanks to my supervisor Mr. Ki WinSpecial thanks to my supervisor Mr. Ki Wing Wahg Wah

Thanks for listeningThanks for listening