Innovative pedagogical practices in the craft of Computing

Abstract

Computer programming, the art of actually instructing a computer to do what one wants, is fundamentally a practical skill. How does one teach this practical skill in a university setting, to students who may not be initially motivated to acquire it, and who may have a variety of past experience, or none at all? Furthermore, how does one do it in a resource-efficient way to large classes? Students are largely motivated by assessment: what is the best way to assess this skill? How does this skill relate to more abstract concepts like “computational thinking”? In this piece NTFs from very different universities explain their solutions.