| 1. |
- Aldmour, Ismat, et al.
(author)
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Impact of cultural and language background on learning Computer Science concepts
- 2014
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In: Proc. 2nd International Conference on Learning and Teaching in Computing and Engineering. - Los Alamitos, CA : IEEE Computer Society. - 9781479935918 ; , s. 37-40
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Computer science terminology is generally based on words that have a related original meaning in English and rooted in western tradition. Hence, students from other cultures and students that are not native English speakers, will not be helped by language and culture in understanding computer science concepts. In this work, the authors review the interrelationship between language, cultural background, and the learning of computer science. A comparative study is under preparation in which this relationship is to be examined. The study will compare the intuitive understanding of computer science concepts between Saudi student groups of different English language proficiency levels and of different maturity levels. A test has been designed in order to reveal differences in the perception of computer science concepts that can be attributed to such background differences. The study will serve as a starting point for further work on how computer science education can be enhanced for students that are non-native English speakers.
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| 2. |
- Berglund, Anders, et al.
(author)
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A glimpse into the cultural situatedness of computer science : Some insights from a pilot study
- 2014
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In: Proc. 2nd International Conference on Learning and Teaching in Computing and Engineering. - Los Alamitos, CA : IEEE Computer Society. - 9781479935918 ; , s. 92-99
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To what extent is students' understanding of computer science culturally situated? This, possibly philosophical question, has come to the surface at Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden, where many Chinese students study computer science together with the local students. We did an exploratory study using email interviews to see if our intuitions could be relied on. We collected data from Chinese students studying in master programs and analysed the data using a phenomenographic perspective. A complex intertwined relationship between the content of their learning (the WHAT) the ways in which they went about studying (the HOW), the aims of their studies (the WHY), and the competencies developed from the intercultural context they studied in (the WHERE) was observed. In this paper we offer some insights from the results of the pilot study and discuss how they have shaped our on-going study in the field.
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| 3. |
- Berglund, Anders, et al.
(author)
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Learning to develop learning and teaching of CS : a collaborative example
- 2014
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In: Proc. 2nd International Conference on Learning and Teaching in Computing and Engineering. - Los Alamitos, CA : IEEE Computer Society. - 9781479935918 ; , s. 147-148
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Developing and improving teaching and learning in computer science is a complex task. One of the most significant challenges involves encouraging students, teachers and the formal university structures to all move in the same direction, for example to embrace the ideas of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Much of the difficulty can be found in the fact that the intrinsic nature of SoTL implies that teaching and learning should be researched and critically examined. This in turn demands a development of underlying staff and organisational attitudes. As a consequence, the ways to relate to the students, the subject area, the teaching and our colleagues must scrutinised, with the intent of finding new teaching and learning forms. This contribution discusses an on-going four year project, ABoLT (Al Baha optimising Teaching and Learning), in which Uppsala University (UU) in Sweden and Al Baha University (ABU) in Saudi Arabia collaborate on developing computer science (CS) education at ABU, based in the ideas of SoTL to the benefit of both partners. In the project, ABU will renew its teaching in CS and, at the same time, initialise, formulate and conduct research in computing education, as a means to understand and improve its own teaching and the learning of its students.
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| 4. |
- Muhoza, Olivier Ufitese, et al.
(author)
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Viewpoints to ICT practices and hindrances from in tanzanian secondary schools and teacher training colleges : Focus on classroom teachers
- 2014
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In: Proceedings - 2014 International Conference on Teaching and Learning in Computing and Engineering, LATICE 2014. - 9781479935918 ; , s. 133-140
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- On the policy level, Tanzania has strongly committed to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) supported education on all levels of education. National policy documents give ICT a high priority in development of the country's educational system. Curricula have been revamped to accommodate for increased role of ICT in the society and education. Also educational institutions have explicated high expectations of ICT in the process of 'massification of education.' Several research studies, however, have showed little change in the classrooms. Surveys and case studies have showed that on the way from policy documents to strategy level and implementation level, something gets missing. The lack of ICT in education is clear in primary and secondary school, which is unsurprising, given that majority of schools also lack electricity and basic facilities, including proper classrooms, tables, and books. This study sets out to investigate, using thematic interviews of secondary school teachers in Tanzania, what processes and support structures do teachers consider to be lacking in terms of ICT supported education. Informants from teacher training colleges were also involved in order to bring out viewpoints from teacher training. The results confirmed a large number of earlier results, divided to six categories: school policy, implementation and administration on the school level, access to ICT, leadership and management, school culture, and teacher training. A number of new factors were also pinpointed: teachers' lack of awareness of government policies and documentation on several levels, lack of pedagogical readiness for e-learning and blended learning, and cultural concerns. Concerning what should come first, there was a chicken-and-egg-problem: it makes little sense to invest in rapidly aging ICT infrastructure and facilities if there is no human capacity to make use of those investments, and it makes little sense to invest in human capacity if there is no technological infrastructure to put quickly aging technical know-how into immediate use.
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| 5. |
- Muhoza, Olivier Ufitese, et al.
(author)
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Viewpoints to ICT Practices and Hindrances in Tanzanian Secondary Schools and Teacher Training Colleges : focus on Classroom Teachers
- 2014
-
In: International Conference on Teaching and Learning in Computing and Engineering (LaTiCE), 2014. - : IEEE Computer Society. - 9781479935918 ; , s. 133-140
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- On the policy level, Tanzania has strongly committed to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) supported education on all levels of education. National policy documents give ICT a high priority in development of the country's educational system. Curricula have been revamped to accommodate for increased role of ICT in the society and education. Also educational institutions have explicated high expectations of ICT in the process of "massification of education." Several research studies, however, have showed little change in the classrooms. Surveys and case studies have showed that on the way from policy documents to strategy level and implementation level, something gets missing. The lack of ICT in education is clear in primary and secondary school, which is unsurprising, given that majority of schools also lack electricity and basic facilities, including proper classrooms, tables, and books. This study sets out to investigate, using thematic interviews of secondary school teachers in Tanzania, what processes and support structures do teachers consider to be lacking in terms of ICT supported education. Informants from teacher training colleges were also involved in order to bring out viewpoints from teacher training. The results confirmed a large number of earlier results, divided to six categories: school policy, implementation and administration on the school level, access to ICT, leadership and management, school culture, and teacher training. A number of new factors were also pinpointed: teachers' lack of awareness of government policies and documentation on several levels, lack of pedagogical readiness for e-learning and blended learning, and cultural concerns. Concerning what should come first, there was a chicken-and-egg-problem: it makes little sense to invest in rapidly aging ICT infrastructure and facilities if there is no human capacity to make use of those investments, and it makes little sense to invest in human capacity if the- e is no technological infrastructure to put quickly aging technical know-how into immediate use.
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| 6. |
- Pears, Arnold, et al.
(author)
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Four feed-forward principles enhance students' perception of feedback as meaningful
- 2014
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In: Proc. 2nd International Conference on Learning and Teaching in Computing and Engineering. - Los Alamitos, CA : IEEE Computer Society. - 9781479935918 ; , s. 272-277
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper analyses the outcome of an international study examining student perceptions of feedback. Our initial work built on research by Gibbs which identified linkages between current and subsequent course activities as a critical factor in whether students value the feedback they receive. Drawing on the work of Gibbs on feedback and Biggs on constructive alignment we proposed four principles for achieving student relevant course feedback. Using these principles we analysed the curricula and learning activities of two similar IT courses taught in Australia and Sweden, and contrasted this with student perceptions of the quality of feedback they received. That analysis demonstrated that the learning activities and assessment practices currently in place violated all four principles to a significant degree. Students were also quite unhappy with these courses and did not rate feedback highly. We hypothesised a causal relationship between adherence to the principles we had proposed and student's perceptions of feedback as meaningful and useful. In the present work we report on the results obtained by making changes to the learning activities and assessment practices in the two courses to better align them with the four principles. These results show significant improvement in student satisfaction and attitudes to feedback in course evaluation questionnaires. We conclude that our hypothesis is confirmed and that changing course learning activities to align with the principles we propose improves the student learning experience.
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| 7. |
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