Tutoring model for promoting teaching skills of computer science prospective teachers

Abstract

One of the greatest challenges Computer Science (CS) teachers face is that of guiding their pupils through problem-solving processes, i.e., the process of constructing a solution for a given problem as an algorithm or a computer program. This paper suggests a tutoring model, to be implemented by prospective CS teachers, that aims at training them to accomplish this challenge. The model is based on one-on-one tutoring sessions, in which the prospective teacher meets a novice undergraduate student taking an introductory CS course and guides him or her through problem-solving processes. The tutoring activity provides the prospective CS teachers with an opportunity to experience teaching situations, especially learners' difficulties with respect to problem-solving processes, and consequently, to improve their teaching skills. The tutoring model was integrated into the Methods of Teaching Computer Science course and was accompanied by a qualitative research. The main research findings indicate that the prospective CS teachers: (a) change their perspective with respect to teaching processes; (b) focus in their teaching on learners' difficulties; (c) increase their awareness to problem-solving processes and to the need to adapt different teaching approaches for different learners; (d) become reflective practitioners; and (e) increase their confidence with respect to teaching processes.

Principles of asking effective questions during student problem solving

“…One-on-one tutoring is a valuable arena for conducting research on instructional approaches [18]. The empirical results presented in this paper are based on classifying the questions that occurred naturally in tutoring dialogues between untrained tutors and novice computer science students.…”

“…In particular, carefully formulated questions can encourage students to self-explain [6], promote comprehension of requirements and effective planning of solutions [14], and reveal important gaps in student knowledge [22]. Yet, instructors' natural tendencies may not be to pose these questions, possibly because other approaches seem more direct [9,18].…”

The impact of instructor initiative on student learning

“…Utilizing tutoring as a pedagogical training ground for new computer science teachers is an active area of application and research [10]. By capturing multiple tutoring sessions, it may be possible to investigate how the tutor's pedagogical style changes over time and the corresponding impact on student learning.…”

“…One-on-one instruction in computer science has been recognized as a technique in which effective teaching strategies can be applied [10]. This paper reports on a study that investigates the impact of two different instructional approaches that were employed in a controlled study of experienced human tutors working with novice computer science students who were engaged in a programming exercise.…”