Identifying At-Risk Novice Java Programmers Through the Analysis of Online Protocols

• Main Authors: Tabanao, Emily S, Rodrigo, Ma. Mercedes T, Jadud, Matthew C
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2008
• Subjects: Novice programmers; Java; computer science education; Computer Sciences; Science and Mathematics Education
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/discs-faculty-pubs/111; https://jadud.com/dl/pdf/2008-pcsc-tabanao-rodrigo-jadud.pdf
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

Learning to write a program is a difficult task. In this study we looked at how students progress as they write their programs. Using an instrumented development environment, we captured the errors students encountered, the location of these errors, and the frequency with which students compiled their program. We then correlated these metrics with the students’ midterm exam score. We found that the lower the incidence of syntax errors, the higher is their midterm exam score. We see this line of research as valuable tool that may help identify at-risk students early in their development as programmers.