Towards a Theory of HtDP-based Program-Design Learning

ABSTRACT

Program-design is an essential skill students in introductory computing courses must learn, but which continues to be difficult for students. Many introductory curricula focuses on low-level constructs, even when students are expected to gain higher-level problem-solving and program-design skills. How to Design Programs (HTDP) is a curriculum that teaches a multi-step approach to program-design, promoting multiple, interrelated program-design skills. My research explores how novice programmers use HTDP-based techniques to design programs, the design-related skills students learn and use, the factors that drive their design decisions, and how these weave into a conceptual framework of HTDP-based program-design.

References

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Index Terms

• Human-centered computing

  • Human computer interaction (HCI)

    • HCI design and evaluation methods

      • User studies

• Social and professional topics

  • Professional topics

    • Computing education

      • Computing education programs

        • Computer science education

          • CS1