Integration of assessment and learning platform in a traditional class room based programming course

Abstract

Programming courses have become universally applicable body of knowledge and can be found in the curriculum of a wide range of disciplines. In the teaching and learning of programming courses, the traditional lecture based pedagogies and the experiential learning pedagogies were the primary approaches. In this study, a background review was conducted focusing on the experiential pedagogies used to teach and learn programming courses in engineering education. However, given the different backgrounds neither lecture based nor experiential learning was effective and they were combined in innovative ways to enhance the student learning. In this study, a platform blended with both assessment and learning was described. Furthermore, in the study, a series of analysis of covariance(ANCOVA’s) were conducted to assess the effectiveness of the platform in promoting student learning by looking at the performance of the student in view of assimilation of knowledge vividly reflected through their performance in assessment tests and student satisfaction. The results shows that the integration of assessment and learning platform into a traditional classroom based programming course has improved the student programming skills as well as identified the areas in which the students can hone their programming skills.