A Study of Video-Mediated Opportunities for Self-Directed Learning in Required Core Curriculum

Abstract

Improving a required course in our curriculum that has proven to be a challenge for our students was the focus of this study. Surveys of both students and instructors attempted to identify specific problem areas. Using the information from these surveys, the researchers developed a series of videos to explain vital course concepts and deployed these into the course sections. The purpose of the videos is to provide consistency across the multiple modalities in which we offer our courses (including online, classroom and via videoconferencing) and to improve overall student understanding. This project seeks to determine how supplemental content focusing on material identified as "difficult," by students and instructors, can impact student performance. Challenges include the deployment of the videos across various modalities and obtaining sufficient student feedback.

Patterns of Computational Thinking Development while Solving Unplugged Coding Activities Coupled with the 3S Approach for Self-Directed Learning

“…When it comes to the development of educational pedagogy in the 21st century, novel instructional approaches have been emphasised in the literature including STEM education (Changtong et al, 2020), hands-on activities (Pisanpanumas & Yasri, 2018), active learning (Setiawan et al, 2019), game-based learning (Pauline-Graf & Mandel, 2019), gamification (Zvarych et al, 2019), self-directed learning (Bourdeau et al, 2017), and unplugged coding (Threekunprapa & Yasri, 2020), to name a few. Despite differences in classroom practices, the common value of these approaches is the necessity to promote conceptual understanding of the subject matter, as well as to leverage soft skills such as creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication of learners simultaneously; all of which are considered crucial elements of effective classrooms in the 21st century (Toheri et al, 2020) In addition to the novel teaching methods, new school curriculum in various countries including USA, UK, New Zealand, Germany, India, Georgia, France, Korea, Japan, Sweden, Finland, Israel, Russia, and Italy have included computer science as one of the core subjects (Grover & Pea, 2013;Hubwieser et al, 2015;Kert, 2019).…”