Ability to 'explain in plain english' linked to proficiency in computer-based programming

Murphy, L; Fitzgerald, S; Lister, R; McCauley, R

Ability to 'explain in plain english' linked to proficiency in computer-based programming

Murphy, L Fitzgerald, S Lister, R

McCauley, R

Permalink

Publication Type:: Conference Proceeding
Citation:: ICER'12 - Proceedings of the 9th Annual International Conference on International Computing Education Research, 2012, pp. 111 - 118
Issue Date:: 2012-10-17

Closed Access

	Filename	Description	Size
	2012000579.pdf		487.81 kB	Adobe PDF	View/Open

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Closed Access

This item is closed access and not available.

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Murphy, L	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Fitzgerald, S	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Lister, R https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5780-0445	en_US
dc.contributor.author	McCauley, R	en_US
dc.date.issued	2012-10-17	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	ICER'12 - Proceedings of the 9th Annual International Conference on International Computing Education Research, 2012, pp. 111 - 118	en_US
dc.identifier.isbn	9781450316040	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/22969
dc.description.abstract	This study investigates the relationship between novice programmers' ability to explain code segments and their ability to write code. Results show a strong correlation between ability to correctly answer 'explain in plain English' (EiPE) questions and ability to write code indicating that there are aspects of reasoning about code that are common to both writing code and explaining code. Student explanations were categorized using the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy. The better programmers were more likely to articulate relational aspects of the algorithms. While earlier work also found such a link, the code writing in those earlier studies was done on paper. This is the first such result where the writing component was done with 'hands on' a computer. Our results add further evidence for the existence of an aspect of reasoning about code that is common to both explaining code and writing code, which in turn suggests that a judicious mix of teaching both code skills and code explaining skills may lead to a more effective process by which novices learn to reason about code. Copyright 2012 ACM.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	ICER'12 - Proceedings of the 9th Annual International Conference on International Computing Education Research	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1145/2361276.2361299	en_US
dc.title	Ability to 'explain in plain english' linked to proficiency in computer-based programming	en_US
dc.type	Conference Proceeding
utslib.for	1399 Other Education	en_US
dc.location.activity	Auckland, New Zealand	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Computer Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - HCTD - Human Centred Technology Design
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US

Abstract:

This study investigates the relationship between novice programmers' ability to explain code segments and their ability to write code. Results show a strong correlation between ability to correctly answer 'explain in plain English' (EiPE) questions and ability to write code indicating that there are aspects of reasoning about code that are common to both writing code and explaining code. Student explanations were categorized using the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy. The better programmers were more likely to articulate relational aspects of the algorithms. While earlier work also found such a link, the code writing in those earlier studies was done on paper. This is the first such result where the writing component was done with 'hands on' a computer. Our results add further evidence for the existence of an aspect of reasoning about code that is common to both explaining code and writing code, which in turn suggests that a judicious mix of teaching both code skills and code explaining skills may lead to a more effective process by which novices learn to reason about code. Copyright 2012 ACM.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/22969