[opeverkosto] Päivi Kinnunen väittelee 11.12.

Tiedoksi:

KL Päivi Kinnunen, joka on työskennellyt TKK:n
tietotekniikan laitoksella
COMPSER-tutkimusryhmässä,
väittelee perjantaina 11.12 klo 12 TKK:n päärakennuksen E-salissa.

Työn otsikko:

        Challenges of teaching and studying
programming at a university of technology
        Å| Viewpoints of students, teachers and the university

Tiivistelmä

This thesis analyses the challenges of the
instructional process at a university of
technology from the
viewpoints of students, teachers and the
university administration. The first research
question concerns the
difficulties students encounter when they study
computer programming. Special attention was given
to the
students' reasons for dropping out of the
introductory programming course (CS1). The second
research
question concerns computer science teachers'
conceptions of studying and teaching. The third
research
question concerns how the instructional process
was seen at the teaching organisation level.
These three
viewpoints represent holistic approach to the
challenges of the instructional process.

General System Theory (GST) was used as the
framework throughout the theoretical and
empirical parts of
this thesis. Three analysis models were
developed: the "dimension doughnut", the
three-layered didactic
triangle and the feedback loop. These tools were
used as starting points for developing the
categorisation of
earlier literature based on its didactic focus,
and to analyse systematically the collected
empirical data. The
empirical data was collected from students in the
introductory programming course, computer science
teachers, representatives of the administration
and formal documents. Both qualitative and
quantitative
research methods were utilised.

The results suggest that the students' reasons
for dropping out of the CS1 course were manifold
and that
they tend to cumulate. On average, dropped out
students reported ten reasons that contributed to
their
decision, of which four affected their decision
critically. The reasons included: course
arrangements,
difficulties to understand course topics,
difficulties with time management, no
consequences for dropping
out, and preference for other courses. Computer
science teachers' conceptions of studying were
often
content oriented. The teachers considered theory
and concepts of computer science and the ability
to apply
knowledge to be the most difficult for the
students. The experiences from the previous years
courses and
customs affected greatly the teaching process.
Due to the large-scale courses, it was difficult
to make
adjustments to the ongoing course. The analysis
of the formal documents and interview data of the
administrative personnel revealed problematic
aspects. For example, goal setting and planning
were
substance oriented. As a result, soft skills were
not systematically discussed or taught during the
studies.
Moreover, the collection of feedback was not
systematic and collected feedback was not always
utilised.
The results highlighted how students', teachers'
and organisation's instructional processes
interrelated.

Työn valvoja: prof. Lauri Malmi
Ohjaaja: prof. emer. Veijo Meisalo, HY

Vastaväittäjä toimii prof. Mordechai Ben-Ari,
Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

Tervetuloa kuuntelemaan.

Lauri Malmi

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Lauri Malmi, professori
Teknillinen korkeakoulu,  Tietotekniikan laitos
PL 5400, 02015 TKK
email:  Lauri.Malmi_at_hut.fi
puh. +358 - 9 - 470 23236, fax +358 - 9 - 470 23293
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