The Pros and Cons of Autograders in Programming Courses

Programming courses typically require assignments where students write code to fulfill specific specifications. In such courses, an autograder serves as an automated tool designed to assess student code submissions by conducting input and output tests. Autograders have been in existence since the inception of computer science as a field of study (Hollingsworth, 1960). More recently, …

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Leveraging GitHub Co-pilot to Enhance Introductory Programming Education

Overview Introductory programming courses are the foundation for students to gain fundamental coding abilities and analytical thinking skills required for various fields. However, programming poses unique challenges for beginners, like struggling with syntax, grasping complex concepts and developing logical reasoning. As computer science education continues to evolve, AI-powered tools like GitHub Copilot are emerging that …

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Using Discord in the Classroom

Introduction The education sector has undergone a tremendous shift during forced remote education during the pandemic. Teachers have learned to adopt technology as an essential role in evolving students’ learning. Communication channels and messaging apps have emerged to meet the needs of educators and their students, and one such platform is Discord. Initially developed as …

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Collaborating on Git!

Introduction Background and Motivation Git is the industry-leading version control system that streamlines software development and helps teams collaborate more efficiently. It provides a wide range of features to track changes, manage projects, store code, resolve conflicts, create branches/rollbacks and keep an eye on contributions from each team member. Its excellent performance, security, scalability and …

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Issues with Remote Agile Software Development

Introduction The Agile methodology is a software development approach that prioritizes flexibility, collaboration, and iterative delivery. It involves breaking down the development process into smaller segments called sprints that typically last 1-4 weeks. The focus is on teamwork, communication, and daily stand-up meetings to keep everyone informed. Agile emphasizes individuals and interactions over processes and …

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Are Limitations to Screen Time Necessary?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (2013), it is recommended that parents limit children and teens’ entertainment screen time to no more than two hours daily, stating that an increase in screen time has been linked with eye problems, violence, cyberbullying, obesity, lack of sleep, and academic decline. They quickly note that this is not a significant …

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Feedback in Gamification App

Gamification and Game-based learning are well-studied fields in education, the effects of which generally positively impact learning. The conclusions in this post will help improve a programming practice web application currently in development.

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ISTE Standards for Coaches

First post for all categories

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Meaningful Feedback in Online Professional Development

Just as online teaching and learning became a necessity for K-12 and postsecondary students during the COVID-19 pandemic, so too did online professional learning activities for educators at all levels.  Not only have professional development (PD) activities primarily been held in virtual spaces over the last two years (both synchronously and asynchronously), but often the …

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