Three decades of active research on the teaching of introductory programming has had limited effect on classroom practice. Although relevant research exists across several disciplines including education and cognitive science, disciplinary differences have made this material inaccessible to many computing educators. Furthermore, computer science instructors have not had access to a comprehensive survey of research in this area. This paper collects and classifies this literature, identifies important work and mediates it to computing educators and professional bodies.We identify research that gives well-supported advice to computing academics teaching introductory programming. Limitations and areas of incomplete coverage of existing research efforts are also identified. The analysis applies publication and research quality metrics developed by a previous ITiCSE working group [74].

A survey of literature on the teaching of introductory programming

Computer programming skills constitute one of the core competencies that graduates from many disciplines, such as engineering and computer science, are expected to possess. Developing good programming skills typically requires students to do a lot of practice, which cannot sustain unless they are adequately motivated. This paper reports a preliminary study that investigates the key motivating factors affecting learning among university undergraduate students taking computer programming courses. These courses are supported by an e-learning system - Programming Assignment aSsessment System (PASS), which aims at providing an infrastructure and facilitation to students learning computer programming. A research model is adopted linking various motivating factors, self-efficacy, as well as the effect due to the e-learning system. Some factors are found to be notably more motivating, namely, 'individual attitude and expectation', 'clear direction', and 'reward and recognition'. The results also suggest that a well facilitated e-learning setting can enhance learning motivation and self-efficacy.

Learning motivation in e-learning facilitated computer programming courses

Introductory computer science students rely on a trial and error approach to fixing errors and debugging for too long. Moving to a reflection in action strategy can help students become more successful. Traditional programming assignments are usually assessed in a way that ignores the skills needed for reflection in action, but software testing promotes the hypothesis-forming and experimental validation that are central to this mode of learning. By changing the way assignments are assessed--where students are responsible for demonstrating correctness through testing, and then assessed on how well they achieve this goal--it is possible to reinforce desired skills. Automated feedback can also play a valuable role in encouraging students while also showing them where they can improve.

Using software testing to move students from trial-and-error to reflection-in-action

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Despite our best efforts and intentions as educators, student programmers continue to struggle in acquiring comprehension and analysis skills. Students believe that once a program runs on sample data, it is correct; most programming errors are reported by the compiler; when a program misbehaves, shuffling statements and tweaking expressions to see what happens is the best debugging approach. This paper presents a new vision for computer science education centered around the use of test-driven development in all programming assignments, from the beginning of CS1. A key element to the strategy is comprehensive, automated evaluation of student work, in terms of correctness, the thoroughness and validity of the student's tests, and an automatic coding style assessment performed using industrial-strength tools. By systematically applying the strategy across the curriculum as part of a student's regular programming activities, and by providing rapid, concrete, useful feedback that students find valuable, it is possible to induce a cultural shift in how students behave.

Rethinking computer science education from a test-first perspective

We describe an efficient compiler and run-time system for NextGen, a compatible extension of the Java programming language supporting run-time generic types designed by Cartwright and Steele. The resulting system is comparable in performance with both standard Java and the GJ extension of Java, which does not support run-time generic types. Our implementation of NextGen consists of a compiler extending the GJ compiler and a special class loader that constructs type instantiation classes on demand. The compiler relies on the implementation strategy proposed by Cartwright and Steele with one major exception: to support polymorphic recursion in the definition of generic classes, the compiler generates templates for instantiation classes which are constructed on demand by the class loader. We include an extensive set of benchmarks, specifically developed to stress the use of generic types. The benchmarks show that the additional code required to support run-time generic types has little overhead compared with ordinary Java and GJ.

https://www.cs.rice.edu/~javaplt/papers/wcgp2002.pdf

Efficient Implementation of Run-time Generic Types for Java

A Framework for Building Pedagogic Java Programming Environments

/pdf/a-framework-for-building-pedagogic-java-programming-15yur9i5oa.pdf

A framework for building pedagogic Java programming environments

DrJava is a pedagogic programming environment for Java that enables students to focus on designing programs, rather than learning how to use the environment. The environment provides a simple interface based on a "read-eval-print loop" that enables a programmer to develop, test, and debug Java programs in an interactive, incremental fashion. This paper gives an overview of DrJava including its pedagogic rationale, functionality, and implementation.

https://www.cs.rice.edu/~javaplt/papers/sigcse2002.pdf

DrJava: a lightweight pedagogic environment for Java

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Efficient Implementation of Run-time Generic Types for Java

A framework for building pedagogic Java programming environments

DrJava: a lightweight pedagogic environment for Java