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Kumon-Inspired Approach to Teaching Programming Fundamentals

Authors Ivone Amorim , Pedro Baltazar Vasconcelos , João Pedro Pedroso

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OASIcs.ICPEC.2024.5.pdf
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ACM Subject Classification
  • Social and professional topics → Computer science education
  • Applied computing → Interactive learning environments
Keywords
  • Programming teaching
  • Programming education
  • Kumon method
  • Progressive learning
  • Online judge system

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Abstract

Integration of introductory programming into higher education programs beyond computer science has lead to an increase in the failure and drop out rates of programming courses. In this context, programming instructors have explored new methodologies by introducing dynamic elements in the teaching-learning process, such as automatic code evaluation systems and gamification. Even though these methods have shown to be successful in improving students' engagement, they do not address all the existing problems and new strategies should be explored. In this work, we propose a new approach that combines the strengths of the Kumon method for personalized learning and progressive skill acquisition with the ability of online judge systems to provide automated assessment and immediate feedback. This approach has been used in teaching Programming I to students in several bachelor degrees and led to a 10% increase in exam approval rates compared to the baseline editions in which our Kumon-inspired methodology was not implemented.

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Ivone Amorim, Pedro Baltazar Vasconcelos, and João Pedro Pedroso. Kumon-Inspired Approach to Teaching Programming Fundamentals. In 5th International Computer Programming Education Conference (ICPEC 2024). Open Access Series in Informatics (OASIcs), Volume 122, pp. 5:1-5:13, Schloss Dagstuhl – Leibniz-Zentrum für Informatik (2024) https://doi.org/10.4230/OASIcs.ICPEC.2024.5

Author Details

Ivone Amorim
  • PORTIC - Porto Research, Technology & Innovation Center, Polytechnic of Porto (IPP), Portugal
Pedro Baltazar Vasconcelos
  • LIACC & Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal
João Pedro Pedroso
  • CMUP & Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal

Funding

  • Amorim, Ivone: Partially supported by CMUP, which is financed by national funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., under the project with reference UIDB/00144/2020.
  • Vasconcelos, Pedro Baltazar: Partially supported by: Base Funding - UIDB/00027/2020 of the Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science Laboratory - LIACC - funded by national funds through the FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC).
  • Pedroso, João Pedro: Partially supported by CMUP, which is financed by national funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., under the project with reference UIDB/00144/2020.

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