Publication: Bilişim öğretmeni adaylarına yönelik programlama eğitiminde görsel blok programlama ve mobil uygulama geliştirme araçları
Abstract
Her üç öğrenciden birinin başarısız bulunduğu saptanan üniversite seviyesinde ilk programlama dersinin; konuları açısından öğrenilmesi en zor derslerden biri olduğunu savunulmaktadır. Son zamanlarda bu problemin üstesinden gelinebilmesi için, blok temelli görsel programlama dillerinin eğitsel faaliyetleri kolaylaştıran araçlar olarak kullanıldığı eğitim araştırmalarına rastlanır olmuştur. Bilhassa yakın zamanda, günümüzde popülerliği artan mobil akıllı cihazlarda uygulama geliştirmeye dönük blok-temelli programlama dillerinin eğitimde kullanımı önerilmiştir. Bu çalışmada ise amaç, üniversite seviyesinde GUI-programlama eğitiminde eğitsel araç olarak mobil platformlar için GUI uygulama geliştirmeye yönelik blok-temelli bir görsel programlama dili kullanmanın; masaüstü GUI uygulama geliştirmeye yönelik metin tabanlı bir programlama dili kullanmaya kıyasla öğrencilerin GUI programlama dersine yönelik akademik başarı ve motivasyonu üzerindeki etkisini deneysel olarak incelemektir. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu Marmara Üniversitesi Bilgisayar ve Öğretim Teknolojileri Öğretmenliği (BÖTE) ikinci ve üçüncü sınıf öğrencileri oluşturmuştur. 12 Haftalık eğitim uygulaması boyunca öğrencilerin akademik başarısı ve derse yönelik motivasyonu; eğitimde kullanılan araç, araçların kullanım sırası, üniversite öncesi GUI-programlama deneyimi, Programlama Dilleri 1 dersi başarısı ve akıllı mobil cihaz aidiyeti faktörlerine göre istatistiksel olarak incelenmiştir. Uygulamanın üzerinden geçen 1 yıllık sürenin ardından yapılan bir anketle, blok-temelli araçla eğitim almış olmanın bilişim öğretmeni adayı gruplarda; mesleki açıdan nasıl bir etki bırakmış olabileceği anlaşılmaya çalışılmıştır. Sonuç olarak, mobil uygulama geliştirmeye yönelik blok-temelli aracın; metin temelli programlamada başarısız bulunmuş öğrencilerin başarısını arttırmada etkili olduğu; ancak metin temelli dillerin kullanımına alışmış öğrencilerin blok-temelli programlamaya adapte olamadığı ve başarılarının düştüğü görülmüştür. Bilgisayar öğretmeni adayları açısından ise, blok-temelli aracın kişisel kullanım için benimsenmediği gibi; mesleki açıdan da rağbet görmediği anlaşılmıştır. Programlama eğitimi, görsel programlama, blok-temelli programlama, mobil uygulama geliştirme, GUI programlama, App Inventor.
With a failure rate of one out of three students, it has been suggested that the CS course at college level is one of the most difficult subjects at undergraduate level. Literature suggests that one of the recent approaches for overcoming this problem has been to employ blocks-based visual programming languages as educational tools that make learning programming easier. Especially, the use of a particular blocks-based visual language for developing applications that run on today’s highly popular smart mobile devices has been emphasized for use in college education with novices and seasoned students alike. The aim of this study is to experimentally compare the use of a conventional text-based programming language typically used for desktop application development; with a blocks-based programming language used for mobile application development in terms of impact upon student academic success and motivation in a college leve GUI-programming course aimed at preservice computer science teachers. The study group for the research has been the junior and sophomore year students at Marmara University Ataturk Faculty of Education Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technologies. The academic success and course motivation of students has been assessed statistically throughout a 12-week course as influenced by factors such as the programming language used; the concecutive usage order of the said programming languages, pre-college experience in GUI-programming concepts, success in a previous CS1 course at college level and the ownership of smart mobile devices. A survey conducted 1 year after the course has finished has also been used in order to understand how learning programming through a blocks-based visual programming language affects the professional capacities of preservice teachers. Consequently; it has been understood that a blocks-based visual programming language for developing mobile applications can be beneficial in increasing the success rate of students who have failed to adapt a programming course given with text-based languages. However, it has also been observed that students who are proficient in text-based programming either fail to adapt or perform poorly in using a blocks-based language. As for preservice computer teachers; it has been observed that the blocks-based language for mobile application development is not preferred for either personal or professional use. Programming education, visual programming, block based programming, mobile application development, GUI programming, App Inventor.
With a failure rate of one out of three students, it has been suggested that the CS course at college level is one of the most difficult subjects at undergraduate level. Literature suggests that one of the recent approaches for overcoming this problem has been to employ blocks-based visual programming languages as educational tools that make learning programming easier. Especially, the use of a particular blocks-based visual language for developing applications that run on today’s highly popular smart mobile devices has been emphasized for use in college education with novices and seasoned students alike. The aim of this study is to experimentally compare the use of a conventional text-based programming language typically used for desktop application development; with a blocks-based programming language used for mobile application development in terms of impact upon student academic success and motivation in a college leve GUI-programming course aimed at preservice computer science teachers. The study group for the research has been the junior and sophomore year students at Marmara University Ataturk Faculty of Education Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technologies. The academic success and course motivation of students has been assessed statistically throughout a 12-week course as influenced by factors such as the programming language used; the concecutive usage order of the said programming languages, pre-college experience in GUI-programming concepts, success in a previous CS1 course at college level and the ownership of smart mobile devices. A survey conducted 1 year after the course has finished has also been used in order to understand how learning programming through a blocks-based visual programming language affects the professional capacities of preservice teachers. Consequently; it has been understood that a blocks-based visual programming language for developing mobile applications can be beneficial in increasing the success rate of students who have failed to adapt a programming course given with text-based languages. However, it has also been observed that students who are proficient in text-based programming either fail to adapt or perform poorly in using a blocks-based language. As for preservice computer teachers; it has been observed that the blocks-based language for mobile application development is not preferred for either personal or professional use. Programming education, visual programming, block based programming, mobile application development, GUI programming, App Inventor.