skip to main content
article
Free Access

The cost-effectiveness of team debugging in teaching cobol programming

Published:01 February 1978Publication History
Skip Abstract Section

Abstract

A team-debugging approach to teaching introductory COBOL programming is described. Team debugging activities consist of the formation of different three-person teams for each assigned program to read and critique team members' program listings. These activities require no additional resources or drastic changes in teaching style.The effectiveness of this approach was empirically assessed with a sample of 215 undergraduate Business Administration students. An experimental group participated in the team debugging activities while a control group did not. COBOL proficiency was measured by a final examination testing (1) knowledge of language rules, (2) the ability to read a program listing, and (3) the ability to write a program, Analysis of multiple covariance was used to statistically adjust test scores for age and conditional reasoning ability. The experimental group achieved higher mean scores for all three variables. For the program writing variable, the difference was statistically significant (F = 9.50, p < .05).The findings provide empirical support for incorporating team debugging activities into the programming learning process to more effectively develop student proficiency in writing COBOL programs.

References

  1. Campbell, D. T. and Stanley, J. C. Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research on teaching. In N. L. Gage (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Teaching, Rand McNally and Co., 1963, pp. 1060--1100.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  2. Couger, J. D. Updating the survey on computer uses and computer curriculum. Computing Newsletter for Schools of Business, Colorado Springs, September 1976.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  3. Dolotta, T. A., Bernstein, M. I., Dickson, R. S., France, N. A., Rosenblatt, B. A., Smith, D. M., & Steel, T. B. &lt;Data Processing in 1980--1985. John Wiley & Sons, 1976.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  4. Fagan, M. E. Design and code inspections to reduce errors in program development. IBM Systems Journal, 1976, 15, 182--211.Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  5. Gruenberger, F. The teaching of computing. RAND Corporation, P-2998, October 1964.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  6. Hughes, J. K., & Michton, J. I. &lt;A Structured Approach to Programming. Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1977, pp. 225--236. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  7. Jones, L. Programmer training appraisal: a unique specialty. Computerworld, May 8, 1974, VIII (19).Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  8. Lemos, R. S. A comparative study of the effectiveness of team interaction in COBOL programming language learning. Ph.D. thesis, UCLA, 1977, University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  9. Shelly, G. B. & Cashman, T. J. &lt;Introduction to Computer Programming ANSI COBOL. Anaheim Publishing Co, 1973. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  10. Upton, M. Programming a social as well as an individual activity. Computerworld, VIII(19), May 8, 1974.Google ScholarGoogle Scholar
  11. Weinberg, G. M. The Psychology of Computer Programming. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1971. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library
  12. Yourdon, Y. Techniques of Program Structure and Design. Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1975, pp. 74--77. Google ScholarGoogle ScholarDigital LibraryDigital Library

Index Terms

(auto-classified)
  1. The cost-effectiveness of team debugging in teaching cobol programming

    Recommendations

    Comments

    Login options

    Check if you have access through your login credentials or your institution to get full access on this article.

    Sign in

    Full Access

    • Published in

      cover image ACM SIGCSE Bulletin
      ACM SIGCSE Bulletin  Volume 10, Issue 1
      The papers of the SIGCSE/CSA technical symposium on computer science education
      February 1978
      296 pages
      ISSN:0097-8418
      DOI:10.1145/990654
      Issue’s Table of Contents
      • cover image ACM Conferences
        SIGCSE '78: Papers of the SIGCSE/CSA technical symposium on Computer science education
        February 1978
        311 pages
        ISBN:9781450374767
        DOI:10.1145/990555
        • Conference Chair:
        • Kenneth Williams

      Copyright © 1978 ACM

      Publisher

      Association for Computing Machinery

      New York, NY, United States

      Publication History

      • Published: 1 February 1978

      Check for updates

      Qualifiers

      • article

    PDF Format

    View or Download as a PDF file.

    PDF

    eReader

    View online with eReader.

    eReader
    About Cookies On This Site

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.

    Learn more

    Got it!