30 November 2020
16:00 Master's Defense Fully distance
Theme
Student performance in an introductory programming course and long-term knowledge
Student
Tania Alencar de Caldas
Advisor / Teacher
Rodolfo Jardim de Azevedo
Brief summary
The need to seek solutions that promote the knowledge of introductory concepts in Computing has mobilized research in the construction of a concept inventory (CI), which is a set of multiple choice questions focused on common learning errors. In this work, the acronym adopted was CI, as it is a Conceptual Inventory. The most well-known inventory is in the area of ​​Physics, force concept inventory. At Unicamp's Institute of Computing, research coordinated by Professor Ricardo Caceffo, in partnership with UBC, in Canada, sought to identify misconceptions for the creation of a CI with the 7 most recurring topics: function parameters; variables; recursion; iteration; structures; pointers and Boolean expressions, totaling 28 questions. This dissertation collaborates with the evaluation of the data from the first version of the CI and the validation of the questions. As the questionnaires were applied in just one moment, the learning gain was replaced by the analysis of learning retention, that is, how long the knowledge learned at the beginning of the courses can be. The questions were sent to students from all courses that studied the subject Algorithms and Computer Programming (MC102) in the years 2007 to 2018, making it possible to identify patterns and compare results between courses; checking the possible differences and similarities between coordinated and non-coordinated courses. Variables such as the type of high school; performance in the entrance exam; performance in other disciplines; and approval in the discipline MC102 the first time it was taken made up the analyzes. Considering that the teaching-learning process involves assessments, both internal and external, the relevance of raising performance in the National Student Performance Exam (Enade) and the degree of difficulty in resolving the issues according to the analysis of the students was considered, at the end of the exam. It was possible to conclude that students who attended high school in technical school and had good marks in the entrance exam achieved better performance in the discipline MC102. As for the number of questions in an inventory that is capable of achieving pedagogical objectives, it was found that the division of questions into three blocks may be more efficient.
Examination Board
Headlines:
Rodolfo Jardim de Azevedo IC / UNICAMP
Marco Aurélio Gerosa Northern Arizona University / United States
Islene Calciolari Garcia IC / UNICAMP
Substitutes:
André Santanchè IC / UNICAMP
Seiji Isotani ICMC / USP