Using Scratch to Improve Learning Programming in College Students: A Positive Experience from a Non-WEIRD Country

Electronics

David Benavides¹  Águeda Parra-Jiménez²  Pavel Novoa-Hernández³  Jesennia Cárdenas-Cobo⁴  Amilkar Puris⁵  Jesús Moreno-León⁶ 

[1] Departamento de Lenguajes y Sistemas Informáticos, University of Sevilla, 41012 Sevilla, Spain;Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, University of Sevilla, 41018 Sevilla, Spain;Escuela de Ciencias Empresariales, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1781421, Chile;Facultad Ciencias e Ingeniería, Universidad Estatal de Milagro, Milagro 091050, Ecuador;Facultad de Ciencias de la Ingeniería, Universidad Técnica Estatal de Quevedo, Quevedo 120503, Ecuador;Programamos, 41089 Sevilla, Spain;

关键词: computer programming learning;    Scratch;    higher education;    CS teaching;   

DOI  :  10.3390/electronics10101180

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Teaching computer programming is a real challenge in the State University of Milagro (UNEMI), located in one of the least-developed zones in Ecuador, a non-WEIRD country (WEIRD stands for Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich and Democratic). Despite the application of various learning strategies, the historical pass rate does not exceed 43%. To solve this problem, we have relied on visual programming languages, specifically Scratch. Scratch is an open source software to learn programming that has a strong assumption of the benefits of community work. A quasi-experiment conducted with 74 undergraduate students during the first semester of CS showed that: (1) Both groups (control and experimental) are homogeneous in terms of their demographic characteristics, previous academic performance and motivation (expectations) concerning the course; (2) Scratch is strongly accepted by students in the experimental group and concerning the learning process, both groups showed similar levels of satisfaction; (3) the experimental group showed a pass rate four times higher than the control group; (4) in general, student success is associated with having learned programming with Scratch. While limited, our results are an important step in our road to improve the learning of programming in a low social status area of Ecuador.

【 授权许可】

Unknown