Experiencing a New Method in Teaching Databases using Blended eXtreme Apprenticeship.

Abstract

The traditional approach of teaching Databases requires a great effort on the initial aspects of modeling and design that can negatively affect student's motivation. This consideration led us to propose a method able to motivate students. The paper presents an innovative method of teaching a Database course, as well as the results of its experience in an Italian high school. This method is based on a blended approach of the Extreme Apprenticeship methodology, jointly with a specific organization of the course topics, which, compared to the traditional organization, has been strongly adapted to the paradigm of Learning by Doing. Good results in terms of students' performance and in terms of level of learning perceived by the students have been achieved. The perceived level of learning achieved by the students has been measured through a questionnaire administered at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the course. Blended eXtreme Apprenticeship; DataBase Teaching; Learning by Doing I.2. Scaffolding: the student performs, after modeling phase, a number of exercises under the guidance of the master. Teacher support is based on Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development [16].3. Fading: gradual reduction of the teacher support.By carrying out a large amount of exercises with relatively small goals, the student has a continuous perception of his

A “light” Application of Blended Extreme Apprenticeship in Teaching Programming to Students of Mathematics

“…with online support) in Bolzano (Italy). In [4,5,6,7] are described results obtained in teaching operating systems and informative systems.…”