Design and development of self-directed learning (SDL) modules for foundations of computer programming course

Abstract

In today's competitive world, the expectations from college graduates are much different than it was decades ago. The new graduates are now not only expected to know their area of expertise but also to educate themselves on the new and up-coming technologies. The rapid changes in technology along with the just-in-time and customer-centered project management made it a norm for engineers, engineering technologists, and computer programmers to have soft skills such as; self-directed learning, technical communication, and critical thinking in addition to their discipline specific knowledge and technical skills. Many students don't necessarily get exposed to self-directed learning skills in a traditional classroom setting. This makes it challenging for students to become self-directed learners after graduation. This study provides an overview of the design and development of several self-directed learning modules, along with the implementation procedure and analysis of the preliminary results.