@article {543, title = {Understanding Notional Machines through Traditional Teaching with Conceptual Contraposition and Program Memory Tracing}, journal = {CLEI Electronic Journal}, volume = {19}, year = {2016}, abstract = {

A correct understanding about how computers run code is mandatory in order to effectively learn to program. Lectures have historically been used in programming courses to teach how computers execute code, and students are assessed through traditional evaluation methods, such as exams. Constructivism learning theory objects to students{\textquoteright} passiveness during lessons, and traditional quantitative methods for evaluating a complex cognitive process such as understanding. Constructivism proposes complimentary techniques, such as conceptual contraposition and colloquies. We enriched lectures of a {\textquotedblleft}Programming II{\textquotedblright} (CS2) course combining conceptual contraposition with program memory tracing, then we evaluated students{\textquoteright} understanding of programming concepts through colloquies. Results revealed that these techniques applied to the lecture are insufficient to help students develop satisfactory mental models of the C++ notional machine, and colloquies behaved as the most comprehensive traditional evaluations conducted in the course.

}, keywords = {cognitive dissonance, conceptual contraposition, constructivism, InfoOK, lecture, notional machine, program memory tracing, programming learning}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.19153/cleiej.19.2.2}, url = {http://www.clei.org/cleiej/paper.php?id=357}, author = {Hidalgo-C{\'e}spedes, Jeisson and Mar{\'\i}n-Ravent{\'o}s, Gabriela and Lara-Villagr{\'a}n, Vladimir} } @conference {504, title = {Creating a Protocol for Collaborative Mobile Applications for Kids Between 4 and 6 Years Old}, booktitle = {International Conference on Technological Ecosystems for Enhancing Multiculturality}, year = {2015}, publisher = {ACM}, organization = {ACM}, address = {Porto,Portugal}, keywords = {collaborative work, early childhood education, mobile devices, programming learning, protocol architecture, robotics}, isbn = {978-1-4503-3442-6}, doi = {10.1145/2808580.2808628}, url = {http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/2808580.2808628}, author = {Ram{\'\i}rez-Benavides, Kryscia and Garc{\'\i}a, Franklin and Guerrero, Luis A.} } @conference {502, title = {Creating a Protocol for Collaborative Mobile Applications for Kids Between 4 and 6 Years Old}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Technological Ecosystems for Enhancing Multiculturality}, year = {2015}, publisher = {ACM}, organization = {ACM}, address = {Porto,Portugal}, keywords = {collaborative work, early childhood education, mobile devices, programming learning, protocol architecture, robotics}, isbn = {978-1-4503-3442-6}, doi = {10.1145/2808580.2808628}, url = {http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/2808580.2808628}, author = {Ram{\'\i}rez-Benavides, Kryscia and Garc{\'\i}a, Franklin and Guerrero, Luis A.} } @conference {469, title = {Student understanding of the C++ notional machine through traditional teaching with conceptual contraposition and program memory tracing}, booktitle = {Latin American Computing Conference}, year = {2015}, publisher = {IEEE}, organization = {IEEE}, address = {Arequipa, Per{\'u}}, abstract = {

In order to learn a programming language, a correct understanding of its notional machine is mandatory. Students acquire that comprehension mainly through visual and verbal explanations provided by professors, books, videos, and other instructional materials. This research applied the conceptual contraposition technique and program memory tracing technique to the prevalent teaching method in our country: the lecture. The understanding of the C++ notional machine was evaluated on students of a Programming II (CS2) course that implemented the mentioned methods. Results revealed that these techniques applied to the lecture are insufficient to help students develop satisfactory mental models of the C++ notional machine.

}, keywords = {constructivism, lecture, notional machine, program memory tracing, Program visualization, programming learning}, doi = {10.1109/CLEI.2015.7360049}, url = {http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7360049/}, author = {Hidalgo-C{\'e}spedes, Jeisson and Mar{\'\i}n-Ravent{\'o}s, Gabriela and Lara-Villagr{\'a}n, Vladimir} }