The NDLR Computer Science Community of Practice invites you to a seminar on:
Using PBL to teach 1st year programming
Stephen Howell, IT Tallaght
&
Problem Based Learning in the Software Engineering Classroom
Yvonne Delaney and Ita Richardson, University of Limerick
10 am, Tuesday 27th Jan, Room KB119 Kemmy Business Institute , University of Limerick.
RSVP: aisling.dundon [at] ul.ie
Agenda
10am Coffee
10.30 – 11.30 Problem Based Learning in the Software Engineering Classroom
11.30 – 12.30 Using PBL to teach 1st year programming
12.30 Discussion
PBL to Teach 1st year programming
4 years ago Computing in IT Tallaght faced problems that most Computing Courses faced, recruitment & retention, interest in programming and instructing students in core competency skills such as logic and the practice of programming. Several strategies were tried and discarded, including class size, language focus and syllabus adjustment, before a blended learning solution of retooled lectures with Problem Based Learning labs was tried. This was found to improve student performance, retain students over the year and give them a real ‘feel’ for programming. Stephen will be presenting a recap of the PBL techniques and other strategies used, and will present some of the student’s views 4 years on as they prepare to graduate college as software engineers.
Problem Based Learning in the Software Engineering Classroom
This presentation is based on a recent study conducted by Yvonne Delaney and Ita Richardson in the University of Limerick. A research paper has been written and accepted to be presented at the 2009 Software Engineering Education & Training Conference in India.
Software engineering lecturers are faced with the teaching of concepts which sometimes are not easy for inexperienced students to understand. Therefore, it can be useful to consider and use non-traditional teaching methods which can improve students’ learning. In this presentation, we discuss problem-based learning and how its use can improve students’ understanding of concepts. We present factors which should exist in ‘pure’ problem-based learning. We then describe how problem-based learning was used with a class who were required to understand information flows through software engineering diagramming techniques, with the ultimate view to being able to analyse and design computerized information systems. This problem-based learning class was observed and analysed. The analysis presented focuses on the problem-based learning factors, how they were implemented in class, and the strengths and weaknesses of the use of problem-based learning in this way. In conclusion, we discuss how the teaching could be improved through modifying the teaching method for a future class in which problem-based learning will be used. This modification is expected to enhance the students’ learning and their experience.
Note:
For those travelling please let Aisling know if you would like her to reserve a visitors carpark. The Kemmy Business Insititute is adjacent to the Schumann Building (ref 5 on the campus map) as a new edition to the campus it has not yet been included on the campus map.
http://www.ul.ie/main/places/campus.shtml
