A synthesized teaching model that promotes both procedural and conceptual knowledge dimensions in CS1

Abstract

Many of the effective practices studied in Computer Science Education Research (CER) tackle a common issue, which is that forming correct theories about programs and programming is challenging for novices and, therefore, rife for developing misconceptions. Combining aspects from all these practices, we developed a teaching model focused on correct theory formation about programs and programming (along all four dimensions of knowledge: factual, conceptual, procedural, and metacognitive). The proposed model is currently being implemented in one of the five sections of CS1 in Python at a small liberal arts college. Preliminary results based on the first midterm and anecdotal observations indicate improved learning, a lesser divide between high- and low-performing students, improved quality of student-submitted code, and other positive outcomes such as near-perfect attendance, improved student engagement with the material and other peers in the classroom, and a sense of enthusiasm about the subject.