research-article

Abstraction ability as an indicator of success for learning computing science?

Authors:

Jens Bennedssen,

Michael E. CaspersenAuthors Info & Claims

ICER '08: Proceedings of the Fourth international Workshop on Computing Education Research

Pages 15 - 26

https://doi.org/10.1145/1404520.1404523

Published: 06 September 2008 Publication History

Abstract

Computing scientists generally agree that abstract thinking is a crucial component for practicing computer science.

We report on a three-year longitudinal study to confirm the hypothesis that general abstraction ability has a positive impact on performance in computing science.

Abstraction ability is operationalized as stages of cognitive development for which validated tests exist. Performance in computing science is operationalized as grade in the final assessment of ten courses of a bachelor's degree programme in computing science. The validity of the operationalizations is discussed.

We have investigated the positive impact overall, for two groupings of courses (a content-based grouping and a grouping based on SOLO levels of the courses' intended learning outcome), and for each individual course.

Surprisingly, our study shows that there is hardly any correlation between stage of cognitive development (abstraction ability) and final grades in standard CS courses, neither for the various group-ings, nor for the individual courses. Possible explanations are discussed.

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Bubnic BMernik MKosar T(2024)Exploring the Predictive Potential of Complex Problem-Solving in Computing Education: A Case Study in the Introductory Programming CourseMathematics10.3390/math1211165512:11(1655)Online publication date: 24-May-2024
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Index Terms

Abstraction ability as an indicator of success for learning computing science?
1. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing education
      1. Computing education programs
        Computer science education
        Information systems education
    2. History of computing
      1. Historical people

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Published In

cover image ACM Conferences

ICER '08: Proceedings of the Fourth international Workshop on Computing Education Research

September 2008

192 pages

ISBN:9781605582160

DOI:10.1145/1404520

Co-chair:
Michael E. Caspersen
University of Aarhus, Denmark
,
General Chairs:
Raymond Lister
University of Technology Sydney, Australia
,
Mike Clancy
University of California-Berkeley, USA

Copyright © 2008 ACM.

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