Factor Analysis to Examine the Effect and Expectation of Reading Simple Source Codes for Improving Programming Skill

Abstract

The authors have developed a programming learning support system based on source code reading whose primary target is novice programming learners. This system trains its learners by giving questions requiring to answer a variable's value after the execution of a presented source code. This paper shows the details of the developed system and the examination result on the effect and the expectation of reading simple source codes based on the real operation to a basic programming lecture. After the learners had completed one semester of the instruction in programming by utilizing the developed system, we obtained learner's responses by a questionnaire and analyzed it with factor analysis. The analysis result unveiled the characteristic factors and these degrees.

Measuring Complexity in Visual Programming for Elementary School Students

“…Although learning programming from an early age is expected to help students acquire logical thinking and creativity, beginning students have difficulty learning text-based programming because the execution results are difficult to understand [2]. In addition, research on the relationship between the comprehension of programming games and achievement in learning programming suggests the need for logical thinking and reading comprehension skills before knowledge acquisition [3]. For these reasons, effective learning methods from an early age remain unclear.…”