The OpenDSA Project seeks to provide complete instructional materials for data structures and algorithms (DSA) courses. Our vision a highly interactive eTextbook involves the use of many algorithm visualizations (AVs) wide range exercises with automated assessment. To realize this we require mix third-party custom software components that make up client/server-based web application. massive amount content development required compels us adopt an appropriate open-source practices will...

Abstract Computer science core instruction attempts to provide a detailed understanding of dynamic processes such as the working an algorithm or flow information between computing entities. Such are not well explained by static media text and images, difficult convey in lecture. The authors survey history visualization computer education, focusing on artifacts that have documented positive educational assessment. Changes how technology has affected development uptake recent changes leading...

Vast numbers of publications in computing education begin with the premise that programming is hard to learn and teach. Many papers note failure rates courses, particularly introductory are higher than their institutions would like. Two distinct research projects 2007 2014 concluded average success courses world-wide were region 67%, a recent replication first project found an pass rate about 72%. The authors those studies there was little evidence concerningly high.

The effort to learn and the regulation of learning are key successful learning. Voluntary practice has been shown improve is associated with having generally good self-regulated At same time, procrastination often slows process less than ideal In this paper, we present results a study exploring impact voluntary on outcomes novice programmers. We used data from an introductory programming course (CS1) at large university found that most students engaged in practice. However, higher prior...

A student's ability to accurately evaluate the quality of their work holds significant implications for self-regulated learning and problem-solving proficiency in introductory programming. widespread cognitive bias that frequently impedes accurate self- assessment is overconfidence, which often stems from a misjudgment contextual task-related cues, including students' judgment peers' competencies. Little research has explored role overconfidence on novice programmers' monitor own comparison...

When students procrastinate on programming assignments, it can hinder the quality of their code and negatively impact grades. In contrast, when actively delay working assignments to prepare (e.g., reading or seeking help), be an effective self-regulated learning (SRL) strategy beneficial performance. However, distinguishing active from procrastination is methodologically challenging. To address this, we tracked what did they behaviorally delayed starting assignment. Most prepared by using...

Computing education researchers often study the impact of online help-seeking behaviors that occur across multiple resources in isolation. Such separation fails to capture interconnected nature and its affect on course grades. This is particularly important for programming education, which arguably has more seek help from other people (e.g., computer-mediated conversations) than majors. Using data an introductory (CS1) at a large US university, we found students (n=301) sought conversations,...

We present lessons learned related to data collection and analysis from 5 years of experience with the eTextbook system OpenDSA. The use such cyberlearning systems is expanding rapidly in both formal informal educational settings. Although precise issues any project are idiosyncratic based on technology goals project, certain types problems will be common. begin by describing nature transmitted between student’s client machine database server, our initial schema for storing interaction log...

In this article, we present the results of a study aiming to understand impact email nudge notification on students' procrastination in office hours, and Piazza (QA forum) CS1 course at large research university. With study, sought if nudges can be useful tool improving student's learning behaviors, especially procrastination. After first two homeworks, randomly split students into groups; treatment group received email, control did not. The was further divided groups: one for who performed...

Abstract Evaluating an e-Content system for Data Structures and Algorithms CoursesWe seek to fundamentally improve instruction in (DSA) courses,which play a central role Computer Science curricula. Students often find this materialdifficult comprehend because so much of the content is about dynamic processes, such as thebehavior algorithms their effects over time on data structures. One difficulties thatstudents encounter lack feedback regarding whether they understand material. A typicalDSA...

OpenDSA is an open-source, community-based effort to create a complete active-eBook for Data Structures and Algorithms courses at the undergraduate level. Active-eBooks go beyond hypertextbooks, being close integration of text images with interactive visualizations assessment activities. They solve two major problems: The difficulty conveying dynamic process static media, need by students have many practice exercises immediate feedback. Development in HTML5/JavaScript allows maximum...

Programming courses can be challenging for first year university students, especially those without prior coding experience. Students initially struggle with code syntax, but as more advanced topics are introduced across a semester, the difficulty in learning to program shifts computational thinking (e.g., debugging strategies). This study examined relationships between students' rate of programming errors and their grades on two exams. Using an online integrated development environment,...

Vast numbers of publications in computing education begin with the premise that programming is hard to learn and teach. Many papers note failure rates courses, particularly introductory are higher than their institutions would like. Two highly distinct research projects have established average success courses world-wide region 67%. However, there little published work comparing pass those other STEM disciplines. As continually ask educators justify atypical a thoroughly researched...

As the use of online interactive tutorials becomes more widespread, there will be opportunities to fine-grained interaction log data deduce student behavior. Log can help debug usability or pedagogical problems with tutorials, guide redesign discourage pedagogically poor OpenDSA is a collection open source materials for teaching structures and algorithms. We present case study analysis activity logs from by roughly 150 students over several weeks. identified clusters based on when they...

Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA) courses are considered critical in any computer science curriculum. DSA emphasize topics related to procedural dynamics (how an algorithm works) analysis (the algorithm's efficiency). Historically, visualizations (AVs) have dealt almost exclusively with portraying dynamics, there few examples of topics. We developed a new generation that we term Algorithm Analysis Visualizations (AAVs) convey concepts. present the motivation behind AAVs, outlines...

We present a study to evaluate OpenDSA, an open source, online system combining textbook-quality content with algorithm visualizations and interactive exercises for data structures algorithms courses. hypothesize that answering many questions immediate feedback allows students know whether they are on track their learning. In quasi-experimental study, control group received lecture textbook three weeks. The treatment section spent class time working through equivalent in OpenDSA. A post-test...

No abstract available.

No abstract available.