Problem-Solving Strategies - Guide to Teaching Computer Science: An Activity-Based Approach - page 86

matic testing which eases and improves debugging strategies. Some IDEs even
support inherently such development processes. When appropriate, this aspect
can be added to the discussion. Nevertheless, in all cases, the resistance some-
times exists to testing and debugging (see, e.g., Hazzan and Leron 2006 ) should
not be neglected.
Activities 41 and 42 about debugging processes, to be facilitated in the MTCS
course, highlight pedagogical merits of debugging processes (see also the musical
debugging (Activity 65) in Chap. 8).
Activity 41: Examination of the Debugging Process
Students are asked to write a program that solves a specific problem and to
document both their programming process and their debugging process. Such
an experience not only increases learners' awareness of their debugging strat-
egies, but also fosters their reflective skills.
Activity 42: Development of a Lab Activity about Debugging, Teamwork
The students are asked to work in small groups (of 2-3 students) and to
develop a lab activity that aims to scaffold learners' debugging skills.
This kind of activity is challenging since it requires dealing with skills
rather than with concepts. Since it is a very open task, it is reasonable to
assume that a large, varied, and colorful collection of artifacts will be created.
This collection can be used for discussions in the MTCS course as well as for
the students' future work as high school computer science teachers.
We recommend educators to deliver the following messages throughout
the debugging activities: (a) debugging is an excellent example of connec-
tions exist between content and pedagogy; (b) debugging is a fact of life,
both in learning and programming processes, and therefore is inevitable; (c)
mistakes are not a negative phenomenon, as long as one knows how to learn
from them and how to fix them; (d) tools and strategies that support debug-
ging exist and knowing how to use them can improve one's debugging skills;
and (e) teachers should address debugging-related issues and teach their stu-
dents to value the importance of debugging processes in software develop-
ment processes.