Research in Computer Science Education - Guide to Teaching Computer Science: An Activity-Based Approach - page 63

Specifically, in this homework, each student is required to read one
research paper from a given list of papers on novice computer science learn-
ers, and to submit a report based on a given list of guiding questions (see
Table 4.1 below). It is recommended that the instructor verifies that all the
papers in the list are selected. It is also recommended to publish the students'
reports, for example, in the course website.
Comments:
• The list of papers presented in the worksheet is just an example. Each
instructor can construct a new list either on novice learners or any other
topic discussed by the research community on computer science education.
• The homework includes two optional tasks.
− The first optional task aims to encourage the students to look for addi-
tional research paper recourses in order to first, increase their familiar-
ity with these research resources and second, to practice how to find a
paper that relates to a specific topic.
− The second optional task (mini-research) should be facilitated only with
prospective computer science teachers who have some background in
educational research.
Table 4.1 Homework on research in computer science education
Homework on computer science education research
The following list presents research papers on difficulties encountered by computer
science novice learners a
Fluery ( 1993 )
Joni and Soloway ( 1986 )
Pea ( 1986 )
Perkins and Martin ( 1986 )
Samurￇay ( 1985 )
Spohrer and Soloway ( 1986 )
Choose one paper and address the following tasks:
List the three main points that the paper stresses
List three ideas that came into your mind while reading the paper. You can relate to
what you found most interesting, what increased your curiosity, or issues you would
like to read more about
Optional: Find in the literature on computer science education another research paper
that is somehow connected to the paper you chose. Indicate the paper title, authors, and
abstract and explain in what sense the two papers are related
Mini-research (optional): Choose one of the papers and reconstruct the research
described in the paper
a The list of papers was collected by Haberman, Levy and Lapidot as part of a survey on
novice programmers' difficulties, published in Hebetim—Journal of the Israeli National
Center for Computer Science Teachers, June 2002, pp. 8-38 (In Hebrew)