research-article

What Learning Strategies are Used by Programming Students? A Qualitative Study Grounded on the Self-regulation of Learning Theory

Authors:

Leonardo Silva,

António Mendes,

Gabriel FortesAuthors Info & Claims

ACM Transactions on Computing Education, Volume 24, Issue 1

Article No.: 9, Pages 1 - 26

https://doi.org/10.1145/3635720

Published: 19 February 2024 Publication History

Abstract

Self-regulation of learning (SRL) is an essential ability for academic success in multiple educational contexts, including programming education. However, understanding how students regulate themselves during programming learning is still limited. This exploratory research aimed to investigate the regulatory strategies externalized by 51 students enrolled in an introductory programming course. The objective was to identify the SRL strategies used by these students during multiple phases of the learning process and compare the SRL behavior of high and low-performers. The following research questions guided this investigation: (RQ1) What regulation of learning strategies are used by programming students?; and (RQ2) How do the SRL strategies used by high and low-performing students differ?. The findings demonstrate that learning to program involves complex psychological resources (e.g., cognition, metacognition, behavior, motivation, and emotion) and that students present heterogeneity in their SRL repertoire. In addition, high and low-performing students showed significant differences in how they regulate, which can contribute to understanding the factors that may contribute to learning programming. Lastly, we argue that for analyzing SRL strategies, it is necessary to consider the specificities of programming education, which motivated the development of a conceptual framework to describe the identified strategies and regulatory phases in this learning domain.

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Cited By

Pires JGomes ABorges ACorreia F(2024)Predicting Higher Education Student's Aptitude to Learn to Program: A Systematic Literature ReviewProceedings of the International Conference on Computer Systems and Technologies 202410.1145/3674912.3674949(242-248)Online publication date: 14-Jun-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3674912.3674949
Wortmann CVahrenhold J(2024)Regulation, Self-Efficacy, and Participation in CS1 Group WorkProceedings of the 2024 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research - Volume 110.1145/3632620.3671115(359-373)Online publication date: 12-Aug-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3632620.3671115

Index Terms

What Learning Strategies are Used by Programming Students? A Qualitative Study Grounded on the Self-regulation of Learning Theory
1. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing education
      1. Computing education programs
        Computer science education
        CS1

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Published In

cover image ACM Transactions on Computing Education

ACM Transactions on Computing Education Volume 24, Issue 1

March 2024

412 pages

EISSN:1946-6226

DOI:10.1145/3613506

Editor:
Amy J. Ko
University of Washington, USA

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Publication History

Published: 19 February 2024

Online AM: 06 December 2023

Accepted: 12 October 2023

Revised: 02 October 2023

Received: 02 August 2022

Published in TOCE Volume 24, Issue 1

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Cited By

Pires JGomes ABorges ACorreia F(2024)Predicting Higher Education Student's Aptitude to Learn to Program: A Systematic Literature ReviewProceedings of the International Conference on Computer Systems and Technologies 202410.1145/3674912.3674949(242-248)Online publication date: 14-Jun-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3674912.3674949
Wortmann CVahrenhold J(2024)Regulation, Self-Efficacy, and Participation in CS1 Group WorkProceedings of the 2024 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research - Volume 110.1145/3632620.3671115(359-373)Online publication date: 12-Aug-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3632620.3671115

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