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Breadth or depth in introductory computer courses: A controlled experiment

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Published:01 January 1979Publication History
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Abstract

A controlled experiment comparing the first-year approaches of in-depth study of programming methodology to breadth of experience in programming and languages is described. The experiment involves two groups of students who will follow different paths in the freshman year which converge in the sophomore year. Performance of students from each group in the common sophomore courses will be analyzed. The efforts to reduce bias and the methods of measurement and analysis are described in detail.

References

  1. 1 See, for example, E. Yourdon, Techniques of Program Structure and Design (Prentice-Hall, Engelwood Cliffs, 1976) and references cited therein for evidence on this subject.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  2. 2 D. T. Cambell and R. F. Boruck, "Making the Case for Randomized Assignments to Treatments by Considering the Alternatives: Six Ways in which Quasi-Experimental Evaluations in Compensatory Education Tend to Underestimate Effects," in Evaluation and Experience: Some Critical Issues in Assessing Social Problems (Academic Press, New York, 1975).Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  3. 3 D. T. Cambell and J. Stanley, Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs for Research (Rand McNally, Chicago, 1966).Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  4. 4 S. B. Anderson, S. Ball, and R. T. Murphy, Encyclopedia of Educational Evaluation, pp. 195-198 (Jossey-Bas, San Francisco, 1975).Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  5. 5 A. C. Porter and T. R. Chibucos, "Selecting Analysis Strategies," in Evaluating Educational Programs and Policies, pp. 415-464 (Educational Technology, Engelwood Cliffs, 1974).Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  6. 6 SIGCSE Bulletin 10, No. 1, 1978, pp. 107, 115, 119, 125.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  7. 7 Ibid, p. 118.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar

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  1. Breadth or depth in introductory computer courses: A controlled experiment

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      • Published in

        cover image ACM SIGCSE Bulletin
        ACM SIGCSE Bulletin  Volume 11, Issue 1
        Proceedings of the 10th SIGCSE symposium on Computer science education
        February 1979
        251 pages
        ISSN:0097-8418
        DOI:10.1145/953030
        Issue’s Table of Contents
        • cover image ACM Conferences
          SIGCSE '79: Proceedings of the tenth SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education
          January 1979
          251 pages
          ISBN:9781450374316
          DOI:10.1145/800126

        Copyright © 1979 ACM

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        Association for Computing Machinery

        New York, NY, United States

        Publication History

        • Published: 1 January 1979

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