Article

RoboCode & problem-based learning: a non-prescriptive approach to teaching programming

Authors:

Jackie O'Kelly,

J. Paul GibsonAuthors Info & Claims

ITICSE '06: Proceedings of the 11th annual SIGCSE conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education

Pages 217 - 221

https://doi.org/10.1145/1140124.1140182

Published: 26 June 2006 Publication History

Abstract

The fundamental principle behind Problem-based Learning (PBL) is that the problem is the driving force that initiates the learning. In order to function effectively in a PBL environment a good set of problems is required. Solving problems is a vital element within Computer Science and yet the discipline has been slow to embrace PBL as an approach to learning. The net result means that there are few good PBL problems available to assist new practitioners with implementation. PBL emphasizes a real-world approach to learning, and we present a RoboCode Competition as a candidate for a good, realistic PBL problem within the computer science discipline. We list and identify the criteria that categorise a PBL problem as good and validate the RoboCode domain against these criteria. We argue that the concept of freedom --- in different guises --- plays a key role in making PBL a good mechanism for teaching programming, and for making RoboCode a good domain for PBL.

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Cited By

Lopez BMateu GLeal Y(2023)Problem based Learning for Training in Statistics and Artificial Intelligence to Biomedical EngineersProceedings of the 15th International Conference on Education Technology and Computers10.1145/3629296.3629359(391-396)Online publication date: 26-Sep-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3629296.3629359
Moradi MNoor NAbdullah R(2022)The Effects of Problem-Based Serious Games on Learning 3D Computer GraphicsIranian Journal of Science and Technology, Transactions of Electrical Engineering10.1007/s40998-022-00526-046:4(989-1004)Online publication date: 22-Jul-2022
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Bellino AHerskovic VHund MMunoz-Gama J(2021)A Real-world Approach to Motivate Students on the First Class of a Computer Science CourseACM Transactions on Computing Education10.1145/344598221:3(1-23)Online publication date: 10-May-2021
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RoboCode & problem-based learning: a non-prescriptive approach to teaching programming

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Published In

cover image ACM Conferences

ITICSE '06: Proceedings of the 11th annual SIGCSE conference on Innovation and technology in computer science education

June 2006

390 pages

ISBN:1595930558

DOI:10.1145/1140124

Conference Chair:
Renzo Davoli
Università di Bologna, Italy
,
Program Chairs:
Michael Goldweber
Xavier University
,
Paola Salomoni
Università di Bologna, Italy

ACM SIGCSE Bulletin Volume 38, Issue 3
September 2006
367 pages
ISSN:0097-8418
DOI:10.1145/1140123
Issue’s Table of Contents

Copyright © 2006 ACM.

Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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Publication History

Published: 26 June 2006

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ITiCSE06: 11th Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education

June 26 - 28, 2006

Bologna, Italy

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Cited By

Lopez BMateu GLeal Y(2023)Problem based Learning for Training in Statistics and Artificial Intelligence to Biomedical EngineersProceedings of the 15th International Conference on Education Technology and Computers10.1145/3629296.3629359(391-396)Online publication date: 26-Sep-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3629296.3629359
Moradi MNoor NAbdullah R(2022)The Effects of Problem-Based Serious Games on Learning 3D Computer GraphicsIranian Journal of Science and Technology, Transactions of Electrical Engineering10.1007/s40998-022-00526-046:4(989-1004)Online publication date: 22-Jul-2022
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40998-022-00526-0
Bellino AHerskovic VHund MMunoz-Gama J(2021)A Real-world Approach to Motivate Students on the First Class of a Computer Science CourseACM Transactions on Computing Education10.1145/344598221:3(1-23)Online publication date: 10-May-2021
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3445982
Queirós R(2019)A Survey on Computer Programming Learning EnvironmentsCode Generation, Analysis Tools, and Testing for Quality10.4018/978-1-5225-7455-2.ch004(90-105)Online publication date: 2019
https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-7455-2.ch004
Gaeta EBeltrán-Jaunsaras MCea GSpieler BBurton AGarcía-Betances RCabrera-Umpiérrez MBrown DBoulton HArredondo Waldmeyer M(2019)Evaluation of the Create@School Game-Based Learning–Teaching ApproachSensors10.3390/s1915325119:15(3251)Online publication date: 24-Jul-2019
https://doi.org/10.3390/s19153251
Aycock JWright HHildebrandt JKenny DLefebvre NLin MMamaclay MSayson SStewart AYuen A(2019)Adapting the "Unessay" for Use in Computer ScienceProceedings of the 24th Western Canadian Conference on Computing Education10.1145/3314994.3325073(1-6)Online publication date: 3-May-2019
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3314994.3325073
Ziadi TMartinez JTërnava X(2018)Teaching projects and research objectives in SPL extractionProceedings of the 22nd International Systems and Software Product Line Conference - Volume 210.1145/3236405.3237205(44-45)Online publication date: 10-Sep-2018
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3236405.3237205
Martinez JTërnava XZiadi T(2018)Software product line extraction from variability-rich systemsProceedings of the 22nd International Systems and Software Product Line Conference - Volume 110.1145/3233027.3233038(132-142)Online publication date: 10-Sep-2018
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3233027.3233038
Miljanovic MBradbury J(2018)A Review of Serious Games for ProgrammingSerious Games10.1007/978-3-030-02762-9_21(204-216)Online publication date: 17-Oct-2018
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02762-9_21
Allen JBidjerano THren T(2017)What do novices think about when they program?Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges10.5555/3144645.314467133:2(171-181)Online publication date: 1-Dec-2017
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