Algorithmic Skills Transferred from Secondary CSI Studies into Tertiary Education
Testing the first year students of Informatics at the
University of Debrecen revealed that students start their tertiary
studies in programming with a low level of programming knowledge
and algorithmic skills. The possible reasons which lead the students
to this very unfortunate result were examined. The results of the test
were compared to the students’ results in the school leaving exams
and to their self-assessment values. It was found that there is only a
slight connection between the students’ results in the test and in the
school leaving exams, especially at intermediate level. Beyond this,
the school leaving exams do not seem to enable students to evaluate
their own abilities.
[1] M. Ben-Ari, “Non-Myths About Programming”. Communication of the
ACM, Vol. 54, No. 7., 2011, pp. 35-37.
[2] G. Tan, and A. Venables, “Wearing the Assessment ‘BRACElet’”.
Journal of Information Technology Education: Innovations in Practice.
Vol. 9, 2010, pp. IIP 25-34.
[3] “Nemes Tihamér National Competition of Informatics 2008-2009 round
I, 5-8th grade. Exercices (Nemes Tihamér Országos Informatikai
Verseny 2008-2009 I. forduló, I. korcsoport, 5-8. osztály. Feladatok)” in
Hungarian. Retrieved May 17, 2013 from
http://nemes.inf.elte.hu/2009/nt09-1f1.doc.
[4] “Nemes Tihamér National Competition of Informatics 2008-2009, round
I, 5-8th grade. Solutions (Nemes Tihamér Országos Informatikai
Verseny, I. forduló, I. korcsoport, 5-8. osztály. Megoldások)” in
Hungarian. Retrieved July 8, 2013 from
http://nemes.inf.elte.hu/2009/nt09-1m1.doc.
[5] “Results of graduation exams 2007–2013 (Érettségi eredmények 2007 –
2013)” in Hungarian. Retrieved June 7, 2013 from
https://www.ketszintu.hu/publicstat.php.
[6] “School leaving exams in Hungary – Tasks and correcting guides
(Központi írásbeli feladatsorok, javítási-értékelési útmutatók)” in
Hungarian. Retrieved June 15, 2014 from
http://www.oktatas.hu/kozneveles/erettsegi/feladatsorok.
[7] “The tasks and the correction guides of the graduation exams. 2005–
2013 (Központi írásbeli feladatsorok, javítási-értékelési útmutatók.
Korábbi vizsgaidőszakok vizsgaanyagai - vizsgaidőszakok szerint 2005–
2013)” Retrieved June 7, 2013 from
http://www.oktatas.hu/kozneveles/erettsegi/feladatsorok.
[8] E. Soloway, “Should we teach students to program?” Communications
of the ACM. October 1993/Vol.36, No.10, pp. 21–24.
[9] E. Soloway, J. Bonar, and K. Ehrlich, “Cognitive strategies and looping
constructs: an empirical study”, 1983. Commun. ACM, vol. 26, n. 11,
pp. 853–860.
[10] G. Schraw, C. Horn, T. Thorndike-Christ, and R. Bruning, “Academic
Goal Orientations and Student Classroom Achievement.” Contemporary
Educational Psychology, 1995, 20(3), pp. 359–368.
[11] J. B. Biggs, and K. E. Collis, “Evaluating the Quality of Learning: The
SOLO Taxonomy”. New York: Academic Press, 1982.
[12] J. L. Whalley, R. Lister, E. Thompson, T. Clear, P. Robbins, P. K. A.
Kumar, and C. Prasad, “An Australasian study of reading and
comprehension skills in novice programmers, using the bloom and
SOLO taxonomies”, in Proceedings of the 8th Australasian Conference
on Computing Education - Volume 52, Darlinghurst, Australia,
Australia, 2006, pp. 243–252.
[13] P. Biró, M. Csernoch, K. Abari, and J. Máth, “First year students’
algorithmic skills in tertiary Computer Science education”, 9th
International Conference on Knowledge, Information and Creativity
Support Systems.Cyprus, November 6–8., 2014., submitted.
[14] J. Sheard, A. Carbone, R. Lister, B. Simon, E. Thompson, and J. L.
Whalley, “Going SOLO to assess novice programmers”, SIGCSE Bull.,
2008, vol. 40 (3), pp. 209–213.
[15] M. Csernoch, “Introducing Conditional Array Formulas in Spreadsheet
Classes”, EDULEARN12 Proceedings. Barcelona, Spain. 2-4 July,
2012. Publisher: IATED, pp. 7270–7279.
[16] M. Csernoch, and P. Biró, “Spreadsheet misconceptions, spreadsheet
errors”, Oktatáskutatás határon innen és túl. HERA Évkönyvek I., ed.
Juhász Erika, Kozma Tamás, Publisher: Belvedere Meridionale, Szeged,
ISSN 2064-6755, 2014, pp. 370-395.
[17] M. Csernoch, and P. Biró, “Teachers’ Assessment and Students’ Self-
Assessment on the Students’ Spreadsheet Knowledge”. EDULEARN13
Proceedings July 1st-3rd, 2013 — Barcelona, Spain. Publisher: IATED.
2013, pp. 949–956.
[18] M. Csernoch, and P. Biró, “Testing algorithmic and application skills
(Algoritmikus és alkalmazói készségek tesztelése)” in Hungarian,
INFODIDACT Conference 2013, Zamárdi, Hungary, 21–22. November,
2013.
[19] M. Csernoch, and P. Biró, “The investigation of the effectiveness of
bottom-up techniques in the spreadsheet education of students of
Informatics (Button-up technikák hatékonyságának vizsgálata
informatika szakos hallgatók táblázatkezelés-oktatásában)” in Hungarian. Ed. T. Kozma, and I. Perjés, Új kutatások a
neveléstudományokban 2012, Publisher: ELTE Eötvös, 2013, pp. 352–
369.
[20] P. Biró, and M. Csernoch, “Deep and surface structural metacognitive
abilities of the first year students of Informatics”. 4th IEEE International
Conference on Cognitive Info-communications, Proceedings, Budapest,
2013, pp. 521–526.
[21] P. Biró, and M. Csernoch, “Programming skills of the first year students
of Informatics”. XXIII. International Conference on Computer Science
2013, EMT, in Hungarian, 2013 pp. 154–159.
[22] R. E. Mayer, “The Psychology of How Novices Learn Computer
Programming”, ACM Comput. Surv., vol. 13 (1), pp. 121–141, 1981.
[23] R. Lister, B. Simon, E. Thompson, J. L. Whalley, and C. Prasad, “Not
seeing the forest for the trees: novice programmers and the SOLO
taxonomy”, in Proceedings of the 11th annual SIGCSE conference on
Innovation and technology in computer science education, New York,
NY, USA, 2006, pp. 118–122.
[24] R. Lister, E. S. Adams, S. Fitzgerald, W. Fone, J. Hamer, M. Lindholm,
R. McCartney, J. E. Moström, K. Sanders, O. Seppälä, B. Simon, and L.
Thomas, “A multi-national study of reading and tracing skills in novice
programmers”, SIGCSE Bull., 2004, vol. 36 (4), pp. 119–150.
[1] M. Ben-Ari, “Non-Myths About Programming”. Communication of the
ACM, Vol. 54, No. 7., 2011, pp. 35-37.
[2] G. Tan, and A. Venables, “Wearing the Assessment ‘BRACElet’”.
Journal of Information Technology Education: Innovations in Practice.
Vol. 9, 2010, pp. IIP 25-34.
[3] “Nemes Tihamér National Competition of Informatics 2008-2009 round
I, 5-8th grade. Exercices (Nemes Tihamér Országos Informatikai
Verseny 2008-2009 I. forduló, I. korcsoport, 5-8. osztály. Feladatok)” in
Hungarian. Retrieved May 17, 2013 from
http://nemes.inf.elte.hu/2009/nt09-1f1.doc.
[4] “Nemes Tihamér National Competition of Informatics 2008-2009, round
I, 5-8th grade. Solutions (Nemes Tihamér Országos Informatikai
Verseny, I. forduló, I. korcsoport, 5-8. osztály. Megoldások)” in
Hungarian. Retrieved July 8, 2013 from
http://nemes.inf.elte.hu/2009/nt09-1m1.doc.
[5] “Results of graduation exams 2007–2013 (Érettségi eredmények 2007 –
2013)” in Hungarian. Retrieved June 7, 2013 from
https://www.ketszintu.hu/publicstat.php.
[6] “School leaving exams in Hungary – Tasks and correcting guides
(Központi írásbeli feladatsorok, javítási-értékelési útmutatók)” in
Hungarian. Retrieved June 15, 2014 from
http://www.oktatas.hu/kozneveles/erettsegi/feladatsorok.
[7] “The tasks and the correction guides of the graduation exams. 2005–
2013 (Központi írásbeli feladatsorok, javítási-értékelési útmutatók.
Korábbi vizsgaidőszakok vizsgaanyagai - vizsgaidőszakok szerint 2005–
2013)” Retrieved June 7, 2013 from
http://www.oktatas.hu/kozneveles/erettsegi/feladatsorok.
[8] E. Soloway, “Should we teach students to program?” Communications
of the ACM. October 1993/Vol.36, No.10, pp. 21–24.
[9] E. Soloway, J. Bonar, and K. Ehrlich, “Cognitive strategies and looping
constructs: an empirical study”, 1983. Commun. ACM, vol. 26, n. 11,
pp. 853–860.
[10] G. Schraw, C. Horn, T. Thorndike-Christ, and R. Bruning, “Academic
Goal Orientations and Student Classroom Achievement.” Contemporary
Educational Psychology, 1995, 20(3), pp. 359–368.
[11] J. B. Biggs, and K. E. Collis, “Evaluating the Quality of Learning: The
SOLO Taxonomy”. New York: Academic Press, 1982.
[12] J. L. Whalley, R. Lister, E. Thompson, T. Clear, P. Robbins, P. K. A.
Kumar, and C. Prasad, “An Australasian study of reading and
comprehension skills in novice programmers, using the bloom and
SOLO taxonomies”, in Proceedings of the 8th Australasian Conference
on Computing Education - Volume 52, Darlinghurst, Australia,
Australia, 2006, pp. 243–252.
[13] P. Biró, M. Csernoch, K. Abari, and J. Máth, “First year students’
algorithmic skills in tertiary Computer Science education”, 9th
International Conference on Knowledge, Information and Creativity
Support Systems.Cyprus, November 6–8., 2014., submitted.
[14] J. Sheard, A. Carbone, R. Lister, B. Simon, E. Thompson, and J. L.
Whalley, “Going SOLO to assess novice programmers”, SIGCSE Bull.,
2008, vol. 40 (3), pp. 209–213.
[15] M. Csernoch, “Introducing Conditional Array Formulas in Spreadsheet
Classes”, EDULEARN12 Proceedings. Barcelona, Spain. 2-4 July,
2012. Publisher: IATED, pp. 7270–7279.
[16] M. Csernoch, and P. Biró, “Spreadsheet misconceptions, spreadsheet
errors”, Oktatáskutatás határon innen és túl. HERA Évkönyvek I., ed.
Juhász Erika, Kozma Tamás, Publisher: Belvedere Meridionale, Szeged,
ISSN 2064-6755, 2014, pp. 370-395.
[17] M. Csernoch, and P. Biró, “Teachers’ Assessment and Students’ Self-
Assessment on the Students’ Spreadsheet Knowledge”. EDULEARN13
Proceedings July 1st-3rd, 2013 — Barcelona, Spain. Publisher: IATED.
2013, pp. 949–956.
[18] M. Csernoch, and P. Biró, “Testing algorithmic and application skills
(Algoritmikus és alkalmazói készségek tesztelése)” in Hungarian,
INFODIDACT Conference 2013, Zamárdi, Hungary, 21–22. November,
2013.
[19] M. Csernoch, and P. Biró, “The investigation of the effectiveness of
bottom-up techniques in the spreadsheet education of students of
Informatics (Button-up technikák hatékonyságának vizsgálata
informatika szakos hallgatók táblázatkezelés-oktatásában)” in Hungarian. Ed. T. Kozma, and I. Perjés, Új kutatások a
neveléstudományokban 2012, Publisher: ELTE Eötvös, 2013, pp. 352–
369.
[20] P. Biró, and M. Csernoch, “Deep and surface structural metacognitive
abilities of the first year students of Informatics”. 4th IEEE International
Conference on Cognitive Info-communications, Proceedings, Budapest,
2013, pp. 521–526.
[21] P. Biró, and M. Csernoch, “Programming skills of the first year students
of Informatics”. XXIII. International Conference on Computer Science
2013, EMT, in Hungarian, 2013 pp. 154–159.
[22] R. E. Mayer, “The Psychology of How Novices Learn Computer
Programming”, ACM Comput. Surv., vol. 13 (1), pp. 121–141, 1981.
[23] R. Lister, B. Simon, E. Thompson, J. L. Whalley, and C. Prasad, “Not
seeing the forest for the trees: novice programmers and the SOLO
taxonomy”, in Proceedings of the 11th annual SIGCSE conference on
Innovation and technology in computer science education, New York,
NY, USA, 2006, pp. 118–122.
[24] R. Lister, E. S. Adams, S. Fitzgerald, W. Fone, J. Hamer, M. Lindholm,
R. McCartney, J. E. Moström, K. Sanders, O. Seppälä, B. Simon, and L.
Thomas, “A multi-national study of reading and tracing skills in novice
programmers”, SIGCSE Bull., 2004, vol. 36 (4), pp. 119–150.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:68887", author = "Piroska Biró and Mária Csernoch and János Máth and Kálmán Abari", title = "Algorithmic Skills Transferred from Secondary CSI Studies into Tertiary Education", abstract = "Testing the first year students of Informatics at the
University of Debrecen revealed that students start their tertiary
studies in programming with a low level of programming knowledge
and algorithmic skills. The possible reasons which lead the students
to this very unfortunate result were examined. The results of the test
were compared to the students’ results in the school leaving exams
and to their self-assessment values. It was found that there is only a
slight connection between the students’ results in the test and in the
school leaving exams, especially at intermediate level. Beyond this,
the school leaving exams do not seem to enable students to evaluate
their own abilities.
", keywords = "Deep and surface approaches, metacognitive
abilities, programming and algorithmic skills, school leaving exams,
tracking code.", volume = "9", number = "2", pages = "435-7", }
