ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Promoting Student Competencies in Informatics Education by Combining Semantic Waves and Algorithmic Thinking
Author: Ritter, Frauke
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Algorithms,Information Science Education,Computer Science Education,COVID-19,Pandemics,Thinking Skills,Concept Formation,Programming,Lesson Plans,Semantics,Workshops,Programming Languages,Online Courses,Bayesian Statistics,Pilot Projects,Secondary School Students

We live in a digital age, not least accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is all the more important in our society that students learn and master the key competence of algorithmic thinking to understand the informatics concepts behind every digital phenomena and thus is able to actively shape the future. For this to be successful, concepts must be identified that can convey this key competence to all students in such a way that algorithmic thinking is integrated in the subject of informatics -beyond a pure programming course. Furthermore, based on the Legitimation Code Theory, semantic waves provide a way to develop and review lesson plans. Therefore, we planned a workshop, that follow the phases of a semantic wave addressing algorithmic problems using a block-based programming language. Considering this, we suggest the so-called SWAT concept (Semantic Wave Algorithmic Thinking concept), which is carried out and analyzed in a workshop with students. The workshop was carried out in online format in an 8th grade of a high school during a coronavirus lockdown. The level of algorithmic thinking was measured using a pretest and posttest both in the treatment group and in a control group and with the help of the approximate adjusted fractional Bayes factors for testing informative hypotheses statistically and through a reductive, qualitative content analysis of the students' work results (worksheets and created programs) evaluated. The semantic wave concept was measured using several cognitive load ratings of the students during the workshop and also statistically evaluated with the approximate adjusted fractional Bayes factors for testing informative hypotheses, as well as a qualitative content analysis of the worksheets. Results of this pilot study provide first insights, that the SWAT-concept can be used in combination of unplugged and plugged parts.
Identifying Plagiarised Programming Assignments with Detection Tool Consensus
Author: Cheers, Hayden
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Plagiarism,Assignments,Computer Software,Computer Science Education,Identification,Programming,Scores,Case Studies,Undergraduate Students,Comparative Analysis

Source code plagiarism is a common occurrence in undergraduate computer science education. Many source code plagiarism detection tools have been proposed to address this problem. However, most of these tools only measure the similarity between assignment submissions, and do not actually identify which are suspicious of plagiarism. This work presents a semi-automatic approach that enables the indication of suspicious assignment submissions by analysing source code similarity scores among the submissions. The proposed approach seeks the consensus of multiple source code plagiarism detection tools in order to identify program pairs that are consistently evaluated with high similarity. A case study is presented to demonstrate the use of the proposed approach. The results of this case study indicate that it can accurately identify assignment submissions that are suspicious of plagiarism.
Bibliometric Analysis of Research on Learning Analytics Based on Web of Science Database
Author: Talan, Tarik
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Bibliometrics,Learning Analytics,Publications,Web Sites,Citation Analysis,Citations (References),Foreign Countries,Data Collection,MOOCs,Blended Learning,Social Networks,Network Analysis,Journal Articles,Authors

The purpose of this study is to reveal the status of scientific publications on learning analytics from the past to the present in terms of bibliometric indicators. A total of 659 publications on the subject between the years 2011-2021 were found in the search using keywords after various screening processes. Publications were revealed through descriptive and bibliometric analyses. In the study, the distribution of publications by years and citation numbers, the most published journals on the subject, the most frequently cited publications, the most prolific countries, institutions and authors were examined. In addition, the cooperation between the countries, authors and institutions that publish on the subject was mentioned and a network structure was created for the relations between the keywords. It has been determined that research in this field has progressed and the number of publications and citations has increased over the years. As a result of the bibliometric analysis, it was concluded that the most influential countries in the field of learning analytics are the USA, Australia and Spain. The University of Edinburgh and Open University UK ranked first in terms of the number of citations and Monash University as the most prolific institutions in terms of the number of publications. According to the keyword co-occurrence analysis, educational data mining, MOOCS, learning analytics, blended learning, social network analysis keywords stand out in the field of learning analytics.
Information and Communication Technologies in Education 4.0 Paradigm: A Systematic Mapping Study
Author: Oliveira, Leonam Cordeiro de
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Software,Teaching Methods,Learning Processes,Information Technology,Research Reports,Student Centered Learning,Engineering Education,Higher Education,Active Learning,21st Century Skills

Industry 4.0 technologies are being applied in the teaching and learning process, called Education 4.0. However, there is no specification of what is being considered when developing technologies for education in the 4.0 context. Therefore, we performed a Systematic Mapping Study to investigate the information and communication technologies (ICTs) proposed to Education 4.0. From a search in four search engines, 81 articles had data extracted. The results elucidated aspects considered as Education 4.0, such as contextualized learning and student-centered learning. Besides, some applied ICTs are not in agreement with the ICTs considered as 4.0 in the literature, the focus on ICTs to engineering education and to be applied to higher education. As implications of the results obtained, it is necessary to understand why some ICTs are not aligned with 4.0 literature and apply these ICTs in knowledge areas beyond STEM.
Integrating SPOCs in Software Testing Education: Evidence in Emergency Remote Courses
Author: Prates, Jorge Marques
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Software,Computer Science Education,COVID-19,Pandemics,Problem Solving,Distance Education,Comparative Analysis,Foreign Countries,MOOCs,Teaching Methods,Learning Processes,Validity,Student Motivation,Computer Software Evaluation,Academic Achievement,Student Attitudes,Engineering Education,Outcomes of Education,Undergraduate Students

Nowadays, SPOCs (Small Private Online Courses) have been used as complementary methods to support classroom teaching. SPOCs are courses that apply the usage of MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), combining classroom with online education, making them an exciting alternative for contexts such as emergency remote teaching. Although SPOCs have been continuously proposed in the software engineering teaching area, it is crucial to assess their practical applicability via measuring the effectiveness of this resource in the teaching-learning process. In this context, this paper aims to present an experimental evaluation to investigate the applicability of a SPOC in a Verification, Validation, and Software Testing course taught during the period of emergency remote education during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Therefore, we conducted a controlled experiment comparing alternative teaching through the application of a SPOC with teaching carried out via lectures. The comparison between the teaching methods is made by analyzing the students' performance during the solving of practical activities and essay questions on the content covered. In addition, we used questionnaires to analyze students' motivation during the course. Study results indicate an improvement in both motivation and performance of students participating in SPOC, which corroborates its applicability to the software testing teaching area.
Leveraging the Pied Piper Effect -- The Case of Teaching Programming to Sixth-Grade Students via Music
Author: Lavy, Ilana
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Science Education,Programming,Grade 6,Music,Teaching Methods,Interdisciplinary Approach,Elementary School Students,Concept Formation,STEM Education,Art Education,Spiral Curriculum,Student Attitudes,Cognitive Processes,Difficulty Level

This paper describes a pilot study that explores students learning how to program via a multi-disciplinary approach. The study participants were eleven 6th grade students who learned programming fundamentals via music activities in a Scratch 3.0 environment. These activities included the programming of familiar melodies and the development of suitable animations or computer games. For that matter, a study unit termed MelodyCode was developed in the spirit of the STEAM education approach and the spiral learning method and included exploration tasks based on individual learning. Via the programming of familiar melodies, they became acquainted with programming concepts such as functions, variables, repetition and control commands, parallel processes, and more. Competitions that win awards were held from time to time, which prompted students to invest efforts in their projects to reach first place and gain the teacher and classmates' appreciation. The study was conducted in the form of action research. The data analysis yielded references to the effect of MelodyCode on common stereotypes students hold regarding programming (masculine profession, necessitates good mathematics knowledge), cognitive aspects (cognitive load, linking music concrete use to abstract programming concepts), and affective aspects (joyful and relaxing class atmosphere, motivation, curiosity, self-efficacy).
University Governance Reforms in Portugal
Author: Keczer, Gabriella
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Universities,Governance,Educational Change,Administrative Organization,College Administration,Higher Education,Institutional Autonomy,Educational Finance,Economic Climate,Foreign Countries

This paper is to analyze the 2007 reform of the higher education system in Portugal (RJIES), which ambitioned fundamental changes in the governance of universities, the option given to higher education institutions (HEIs) to be transformed into public foundations being only one element of the reform. Based on desk research, the key elements of the reform, the process of designing and introducing it and an assessment of its impact are presented. We may conclude that the governance reform has led to more effective management of universities regardless of their legal status, but the new, foundation form has not fulfilled the expectations regarding the more autonomous and flexible operation of the transformed HEIs, due, to a large extent, to the financial restrictions brought about by the global crisis.
The Impact of Institutional Governance Reforms on Organisational Culture -- Two Case Studies from Finland and Hungary
Author: Zsatku, Bettina
Date: 2023-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Governance,Organizational Change,Cross Cultural Studies,Foreign Countries,State Universities,Decision Making,Organizational Culture,Neoliberalism,Teacher Attitudes,College Faculty,Governing Boards,Institutional Autonomy,Student Attitudes,Administrator Attitudes,Administrative Organization

Several European countries have made it possible for public universities to become foundation universities. The transformation has also involved a change in their governance model with external actors taking important decision-making positions. We believe that these changes also imply a transformation of the organisational culture of the said universities. This study examines the transformation of a Finnish and a Hungarian university into a foundation one based on documents, interviews and questionnaire surveys. We found that for both universities there is strong pressure to move towards a corporate culture, but that change is not happening without resistance at either university.
User Experience Design in the Information Systems Curriculum: Lessons Learned and Best Practices
Author: Bozan, Karoly
Date: 2023-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Information Systems,Interdisciplinary Approach,Constructivism (Learning),Teaching Methods,Active Learning,Feedback (Response),Problem Based Learning,Instructional Design,Best Practices,Capstone Experiences,Student Projects,Cooperative Learning,Information Science Education,Computer Science Education,Learning Processes,Undergraduate Students,Student Surveys,Student Attitudes,Barriers

User Experience Design (UXD) is an often-neglected area of the information systems (IS) curriculum. UXD classes specifically designed for IS students are still uncommon in IS programs and this study aims to add to the body of knowledge to prepare a more well-rounded future generation of IS professionals. With this goal in mind, this study describes the redesign of an introductory UXD course following Kolb's learning cycle and constructivist instructional models. This paper describes the implementation of the supporting pedagogy and the opportunity for students to better master core UXD concepts. UXD, a multi-disciplinary area is built on skills learned in systems analysis and design class while students learn to apply relevant concepts through a hands-on, instructor-led, individual, in-class sample project. The skills are then applied by engaging students in active learning in a team setting to deliver value to a local organization by solving related, real-life challenges. Students work on community-engaged team projects to enhance their appreciation of the impact and relevance of their semester-long project deliverable. Constructivism guides the instructional models of the framework, in which problem-based learning is used to help students build and apply relevant skills. The instructional models and implications for instructional design are discussed along with a proposed pedagogical approach, course setting and structure, tools and techniques engaged, student feedback analyzed, and lessons learned.
Developing a Data-Driven Emerging Skill Network Analytics Framework for Automated Employment Advert Evaluation
Author: Liu, Xiaoming
Date: 2023-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Network Analysis,Employment Opportunities,Information Technology,Computer Science Education,COVID-19,Pandemics,Course Content,Prediction,Education Work Relationship,Curriculum Development,Job Applicants,Advertising,Employer Attitudes,Data Analysis,Internet,Distance Education,Job Skills,School Business Relationship,Computer Software,Artificial Intelligence,Programming Languages,Higher Education

Rapid advancements and emergent technologies add an additional layer of complexity to preparing computer science and information technology higher education students for entering the post pandemic job market. Knowing and predicting employers' technical skill needs is essential for shaping curriculum development to address the emergent skill gap. Examining online advertisements to determine the skills sought by employers of new hires for these emerging areas and ensuring that program course content addresses these skills can be a daunting task. In this paper, the authors describe the development of a data-driven analytics framework that can be used for evaluating emerging skill clusters in online job adverts and the application of the framework to a mobile computing course at the authors' institution.
Examining the Number of Concepts Students Apply in the Exam Solutions of an Introductory Programming Course
Author: Menon, Pratibha
Date: 2023-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Introductory Courses,Programming Languages,Computer Science Education,Correlation,Problem Solving,Schemata (Cognition),Number Concepts,Tests,Teaching Methods,Skill Development,Undergraduate Students,State Universities,Concept Formation

Instruction in an introductory programming course is typically designed to introduce new concepts and to review and integrate the more recent concepts with what was previously learned in the course. Therefore, most exam questions in an introductory programming course require students to write lines of code that contain syntactic elements corresponding to the programming concepts covered during the instruction. This study investigates the number of concepts involved in the exam problems of an introductory Java programming course. In addition, this study compares how the increase in the number of concepts correlates with the ability of students to write error-free lines of code. The instructional method adopted in this study focuses on providing students with a problem-solving schema and a resultant programming plan that integrates many concepts to meet the problem's goal. Results from this study indicate that as the course progresses through the semester, students, on average, apply appropriate problem-solving schemas and programming plans to produce more error-free lines of code, despite an increase in the concept count in the problems. Furthermore, the exam problems later in the course repeat the application of cluster concepts that have appeared in the past exam. This paper illustrates how programming is a cumulative skill and that repeating and building upon the applications of these concept clusters several times through the course increases the likelihood that students will produce more correct lines of code as the semester progresses.
Implementing a First-Year Experience Course for IT Majors
Author: Woods, David M.
Date: 2023-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Introductory Courses,Information Science Education,Information Technology,Career Choice,Student Adjustment,College Freshmen,School Holding Power,Academic Persistence,Computer Science Education,Majors (Students),Enrollment Trends,Diversity,Course Descriptions,Course Content,Teaching Methods

Schools have implemented the high-impact practice of first-year experience (FYE) courses to assist students with the transition to college. These courses help connect new students to the school with the goal of improving retention. While students in computing majors face the same challenges as other new college students, they also face some challenges specific to computing fields. Additionally, computing fields face ongoing concerns about enrollment and diversity. This work discusses the implementation of an information technology (IT) specific FYE course combining content from a university-wide FYE course with content focused on helping students gain a better understanding of the IT curriculum and IT career paths.
Micro-Credentials in US Higher Education: An Empirical Analysis
Author: Lang, Guido
Date: 2023-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Microcredentials,Higher Education,Educational Technology,Institutional Characteristics,College Students,Employment Potential,Content Analysis,Student Characteristics,Salaries

Micro-credentials have received renewed attention by universities as a potential pathway to highdemand careers. The goals of this study were to understand the prevalence of micro-credentials offered by universities, the characteristics of universities offering micro-credentials generally and information systems (IS) micro-credentials specifically, and the content of IS micro-credentials. To this end, this study found that only very few universities are currently offering micro-credentials. Specifically, of all 1,860 universities listed on US News &amp; World Report, only 127 (6.8%) offer micro-credentials on Credly, which is one of the largest digital credentialing platforms. However, once universities offer microcredentials, they do so prolifically. In fact, the 127 universities offer a total of 2,308 micro-credentials, with 114 (89.9%) universities offering more than one micro-credential for an average of 53 microcredentials offered per university. Moreover, this study found that universities offering micro-credentials or IS micro-credentials are more likely to be tier 1, public universities located in a city, urban, or suburban setting with a higher starting salary of graduates. Lastly, of the 2,308 micro-credentials offered by universities, only 195 (8.4%) are IS micro-credentials addressing competency realms defined in the IS2020 curriculum. The top IS2020 competency realms are technology, data, and development. The most frequently associated skills among IS micro-credentials are cybersecurity, Excel, AI/ML, SQL and HTML, CSS, JS. Future research is needed to understand the longitudinal development of microcredential offerings among universities (including international universities), on various digital credentialing platforms, possibly leveraging automatic data collection and analysis methods.
Prospects of Autonomous Vehicle Learning Kits in Education Systems
Author: Bajracharya, Biju
Date: 2023-03-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Motor Vehicles,Interdisciplinary Approach,Computer Science Education,Artificial Intelligence,Skilled Workers,Labor Force Development,Information Technology,Course Descriptions,Curriculum Development,Engineering Education,Capstone Experiences,Barriers,Learning Activities,Educational Benefits,Computer Software,Teaching Methods

The Autonomous Vehicles (AV) are a self-driving vehicle capable of sensing its environment and operating with minimal or no human intervention converting into a fully or partially automated vehicle. These automated vehicles have great potential to revolutionize the automotive industry and our daily lives. Thus, they are receiving a lot of attention from automotive industries, governments, suppliers, educational sectors, researchers, and many other stakeholders. According to global financial service firm UBS, the AV market could reach more than $2 trillion by 2030. These projections will become reality if enough skilled workforces are produced with a high level of broad technical competencies specifically for the automotive environment. This will also require consumer education on AVs that could bring all the comfort and excitement across all segments of the population. This brings a substantial opportunity for the educational sectors in generating the workforce required in AV sectors by enhancing the existing curricula in the areas related to AVs or developing a cross-disciplinary course or capstone project that could expose students with a technical background in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, and mechatronics. Since AV has many technologies involved, it is challenging to design an appropriate curriculum and provide hands-on activities. Small-scale learning kits may be an affordable and effective solution for introductory courses on AVs or for beginners. This paper will discuss the use of those widely available small-scale learning kits, their benefits, and their challenges.