Thu 6 Apr 2017 14:30 - 15:00 at D0.07 - Research Papers 5 Chair(s): Elisa Gonzalez Boix

Context: In the context of exploring the art, science and engineering of programming, the question of which programming languages should be taught first has been fiercely debated since computer science teaching started in universities. Failure to grasp programming readily almost certainly implies failure to progress in computer science.

Inquiry: What first programming languages are being taught? There have been regular national-scale surveys in Australia and New Zealand, with the only US survey reporting on a small subset of universities. This the first such national survey of universities in the UK.

Approach: We report the results of the first survey of introductory programming courses (N=80) taught at UK universities as part of their first year computer science (or related) degree programmes, conducted in the first half of 2016. We report on student numbers, programming paradigm, programming languages and environment/tools used, as well as the underpinning rationale for these choices.

Knowledge: The results in this first UK survey indicate a dominance of Java at a time when universities are still generally teaching students who are new to programming (and computer science), despite the fact that Python is perceived, by the same respondents, to be both easier to teach as well as to learn.

Grounding: We compare the results of this survey with a related survey conducted since 2010 (as well as earlier surveys from 2001 and 2003) in Australia and New Zealand.

Importance: This survey provides a starting point for valuable pedagogic baseline data for the analysis of the art, science and engineering of programming, in the context of substantial computer science curriculum reform in UK schools, as well as increasing scrutiny of teaching excellence and graduate employability for UK universities.

Thu 6 Apr

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13:30 - 15:00
Research Papers 5Research Papers at D0.07
Chair(s): Elisa Gonzalez Boix Vrije Universiteit Brussel
13:30
30m
Talk
Edit Transactions: Dynamically Scoped Change Sets for Controlled Updates in Live Programming
Research Papers
Toni Mattis Hasso Plattner Institute, Patrick Rein Hasso Plattner Institute, Robert Hirschfeld HPI
Link to publication DOI
14:00
30m
Talk
What Is the Best Way For Developers to Learn New Software Tools? An Empirical Comparison Between a Text and a Video Tutorial
Research Papers
Verena Käfer Universität Stuttgart, Daniel Kulesz Universität Stuttgart, Stefan Wagner Universität Stuttgart
Link to publication DOI
14:30
30m
Talk
An Analysis of Introductory Programming Courses at UK Universities
Research Papers
Ellen Murphy University of Bath, Tom Crick Cardiff Metropolitan University, James H. Davenport University of Bath
Link to publication DOI