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Exploring Student Perceptions About the Use of Visual Programming

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Exploring Student Perceptions About the Use of Visual Programming Exploring student perceptions about the use of visual programming environments, their relation to student learning styles and their impact on student motivation in undergraduate introductory programming modules Maira Kotsovoulou (BSc, MSc) July 2019 This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Department of Educational Research, Lancaster University, UK. Exploring student perceptions about the use of visual programming environments, their relation to student learning styles and their impact on student motivation in undergraduate introductory programming modules Maira Kotsovoulou (BSc, MSc) This thesis results entirely from my own work and has not been offered previously for any other degree or diploma. The word count is 57,743 excluding references. Signature ........................................................ Maira Kotsovoulou (BSc, MSc) Exploring student perceptions about the use of visual programming environments, their relation to student learning styles and their impact on student motivation in undergraduate introductory programming modules Doctor of Philosophy, July 2019 Abstract My research aims to explore how students perceive the usability and enjoyment of visual/block-based programming environments (VPEs), to what extent their learning styles relate to these perceptions and finally to what extent these tools facilitate student understanding of basic programming constructs and impact their motivation to learn programming. My overall methodological approach is a case study that explores the nature of potential benefits to using a VPE in an introductory programming module, within the specific context of an English-speaking institution of higher learning in Southern Europe. Part 1 of this research is a pilot study, which uses participatory action research as a methodological practice to identify which visual programming environment will be selected for the main study. Part 2 uses an evaluative methodological practice within the case, aimed at addressing the research questions. Data collection is performed using mixed methods. For the quantitative part, 92 participants provided their feedback using a questionnaire, including 3 main sections: a) an adaptation of the Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, 1985); b) an adaptation of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) (Pintrich & de Groot, 1990b) and the Science Motivation Questionnaire (SMQ-II) (Glynn, et al., 2009); and c) the Index of Learning Styles (Felder & Soloman, 1993). For the qualitative part, feedback was collected both by interviewing students and compiling field notes during class observations. Descriptive statistics, t-tests and Spearman correlations were used to analyse the quantitative data, while the constant comparative method was used to generate the categories, whose relationships emerged from the coding process of the qualitative data. i Results from Part 1 revealed a student preference for Scratch over the other three visual programming environments used in the experiment. Findings from Part 2 suggest that students found Scratch to be easy, useful, enjoyable and engaging, but only within the scope and purpose of the module. On the other hand, students demonstrating strong intrinsic motivation to learn programming and high levels of self-efficacy did not perceive Scratch to be as useful as other students did. Results also indicate that a relationship exists between the acceptance of a visual programming environment and students’ learning style preferences; Scratch was found more useful and enjoyable by those reporting visual and sequential learning approaches. Furthermore, overall student performance and pass-fail rates showed considerable improvement following the introduction of Scratch. ii Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................. i Contents .............................................................................................................. iii Acknowledgements ............................................................................................. vi Dedication .......................................................................................................... vii Publications Derived from Work on the Doctoral Programme ..................... viii List of Abbreviations .......................................................................................... ix List of Figures ....................................................................................................... x List of Tables ....................................................................................................... xii Chapter 1 Introduction ..................................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction to the Study ................................................................................... 1 1.2 Research Questions ............................................................................................ 3 1.3 Contextual Information ...................................................................................... 4 1.4 Thesis Structure ................................................................................................. 8 Chapter 2 Computer Programming .................................................................. 9 2.1 What is Computer Programming ........................................................................ 9 2.2 Programming Paradigms and Programming Languages .................................... 10 2.3 Types of Programming Environments ............................................................... 14 2.3.1 A Text-Editor and Command-Line Compiler .................................................................. 16 2.3.2 Program Visualisation Environment .............................................................................. 16 2.3.3 Integrated Development Environment (IDE) ................................................................. 19 2.3.4 Visual Programming Environments ................................................................................ 20 2.4 Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 31 Chapter 3 The Theoretical Framework ........................................................... 34 3.1 Educational Theories ........................................................................................ 34 3.2 Learning Approaches, Learning Styles and Assessment Tools ........................... 42 3.3 Motivation and Self-Determination .................................................................. 51 3.4 Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 57 Chapter 4 Teaching and Learning Computer Programming ............................ 60 4.1 Cognitive Aspects of Programming ................................................................... 60 4.2 Troublesome Programming Constructs and Skills ............................................. 68 4.3 A Short History of Educational Programming Environments ............................. 76 4.4 A Classification of Educational Programming Environments ............................. 81 iii 4.5 Using Visualisations to Teach Programming ..................................................... 85 4.6 Related Research on Greenfoot, Alice, AppInventor and Scratch ...................... 90 4.7 Conclusion ....................................................................................................... 93 Chapter 5 The Pilot Study ............................................................................... 94 5.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................... 94 5.2 Participatory Action Research .......................................................................... 94 5.2.1 The Survey Tool .............................................................................................................. 98 5.2.2 Validity and Reliability for the Pilot Study Survey Tool .................................................. 99 5.2.3 Action Research Cycle 1 (Greenfoot) ........................................................................... 103 5.2.4 Action Research Cycle 2 (Alice) .................................................................................... 105 5.2.5 Action Research Cycles 3 and 4 (Workshops on AppInventor and Scratch) ................ 107 5.2.6 Action Research Cycle 3 (AppInventor) ........................................................................ 107 5.2.7 Action Research Cycle 4 (Scratch) ................................................................................ 109 5.3 Action Research Findings and Discussion ........................................................ 110 5.4 Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 117 Chapter 6 Research Design and Methodology .............................................. 120 6.1 Purpose ......................................................................................................... 120 6.2 Case Study and Data Collection Approaches ................................................... 120 6.3 Pedagogic Design: Teacher’s Role and Students’ Activity ................................ 128 6.4 Development of the Questionnaire Survey Tool ............................................
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