Questions tagged [programming]
For questions about teaching programming (as opposed to e.g. [cs-theory]). Please consider whether a more specific tag is appropriate.
127
questions
45
votes
22
answers
11k
views
If a program does not compile, should it get a mark of zero?
Following a discussion on the Academia SE, I would like to seek views here among Computer Science Educators on whether a mark of zero should be awarded if a student submits a program that does not ...
- 803
43
votes
16
answers
14k
views
What is good age to start learning programming?
I am thinking of offering classes for people, maybe take 5 to 10 at the time. There would be 4 hours every Saturday, twice a month, for three months. So in total 6 such sessions. The language thought ...
- 571
33
votes
11
answers
11k
views
Problems with students stuck in web-browser and what to do about it
My students have been trained to use tools in the web-browser: cloud word-processors, web-sites, etc.
When I try to teach programming on the computer: using programs that are on the local computer. ...
- 10.7k
24
votes
7
answers
5k
views
Why teach C using scanf without talking about command line arguments?
Most of the books I read give examples using printf and scanf. At some point the students know perfectly how to use these two ...
- 407
21
votes
10
answers
4k
views
What's the benefit of prohibiting the use of techniques/language constructs that have not been taught?
I teach as a private tutor and most of my students are prohibited to use techniques and/or language constructs that they haven't been taught!
There's a really broad variety of stuff that is ...
- 403
17
votes
9
answers
8k
views
What to tell students that plagiarised their programming assignment?
I am a TA for an undergraduate CS module at university in the UK and was in charge of marking coursework. The assignment contains three parts: report, code and video presentation. I found that 10 ...
- 273
15
votes
8
answers
5k
views
What is the point of teaching coding and robotics to kids as young as six years old?
Nowadays, kids as young as six years are being taught coding through various tools such as MIT's Scratch. I wonder what is the point of teaching coding at such a tender age. They will go for a job ...
- 269
14
votes
13
answers
3k
views
Realistic task for teaching bit operations
I'm looking for a function or algorithm that requires extensive bit manipulation, but is not complicated in its nature and purpose, so that students remain focused on bit operations.
Now I use Win32 ...
- 251
13
votes
12
answers
12k
views
On studying Computer Science vs. Software Engineering to become a proficient coder
I’m mostly interested in the coding aspect of the CS and SE majors curricula. And I’m trying to decide between the two.
Each major has its pros and cons, and they prepare you in very different ways ...
- 241
13
votes
17
answers
4k
views
What are some fun projects for non-CS majors?
I'm teaching an undergrad Intro to Programming for Non-majors this semester (in Python) and I'm looking for some fun projects for my students that are engaging but not too difficult for them. This is ...
- 371
12
votes
5
answers
2k
views
What effect will AI tools like Codex and CoPilot have on teaching programming (and admissions)
New Artificial Intelligence (AI) programming tools like Codex and CoPilot can (to some extent) generate code in different programming languages from natural language descriptions. Obviously at the ...
- 803
11
votes
6
answers
9k
views
I am a CS student, but I don't know how to code projects. How do I learn this?
It is a really worrying situation. I do well with CS subjects, but at the end of day it is all useless as I don't know how to code.
How do I learn to code to make projects? I can make small programs ...
- 119
10
votes
8
answers
6k
views
Why do we practice printing patterns while coding?
Why do we practice printing patterns while coding? Patterns like:
1
1 2
1 2 3
1 2
1
1
2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15, etc.
Are these kinds of pattern questions ...
10
votes
5
answers
936
views
Students seem to be unable to use code to express their ideas. Is the teaching methodology improvable?
In my beginner experience as a teacher, the thing that's strucking me most is a sensation of my students' inability to express their (valid!) thoughts in code. Let me deepen it a bit.
I inherited a ...
- 424
9
votes
8
answers
3k
views
How does the ability to solve a new problem come to a person?
How do you learn problem solving. Programming is all about problem solving. Whenever I try any new problems, I can't solve them. How does this ability to tackle a new problem by yourself come? How do ...
- 345
9
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Grading source code in an online environment
In the past students have submitted hardcopy of the programs and output for grading (electronic version was also supplied if I wanted to run the programs).
I always annotated and graded the source ...
- 371
8
votes
4
answers
294
views
How can programming skills be improved?
I often take help from online videos to improve my programming skills, but I am not successful. Videos help me in debugging my code, but I am not improving my programming. Is there any other way ...
- 277
7
votes
16
answers
10k
views
Why isn't there one language to use instead of different programming languages?
One language is better. It is just better to learn one language rather than learn C++,
Python, C#, etc.
Just build one language that makes you build apps, websites, games, AIs, etc.
7
votes
6
answers
809
views
Why do educators not set an upper bound for the amount of times we're allowed to compile code?
First of all I'm sorry if the wording of my question is off so let me be more specific with what I mean;
At my University we have some platforms we can code on and hand in assignments. They usually ...
7
votes
2
answers
328
views
What language best prepares a high school student for a STEM undergraduate major?
I intend to lead a nephew through the exercises of sequence, selection, and iteration via Python. I also intend to introduce hardware sensors for data collection. If there is a better choice (I ...
- 171
7
votes
2
answers
478
views
What are some events/contests besides GSOC and ICPC that a first year undergrad Computer Science Engineering student should get involved with?
I am currently in my first year (in Bangalore, India) and I'm eager to get into competitive coding and programs like GSOC. I'm not aware of too many besides the two in my title, though. I'd love to ...
- 73
6
votes
5
answers
699
views
Students' confusion over C structure members and structure variables
Before I ask my question, some background may be apposite to provide context. Please indulge me.
At the institute I teach, our Intro to Programming. It involves a coverage of C language. We believe C ...
- 419
6
votes
5
answers
191
views
Debugging a submission that works well on student's computer but not on my computer
I teach a course in C++. Often, students submit a homework assignment that works well in their computer (they send me a screenshot showing that it compiles and runs perfectly), but when I run the ...
6
votes
3
answers
170
views
Reduce Grading & Improve Assignments
I'm looking at ways to improve assignments and reduce the amount of grading. Previously, there were two in-person lab classes with 15-20 students each week. Since Covid, there is now one online lab ...
- 163
6
votes
7
answers
780
views
How to teach so that your student doesn't feel stupid?
I'll start by admitting I'm not a teacher. But I am a professional computer programmer with over 20 years of experience and a BS in computer science. I'm also a dad. My daughter is 9 years old and is ...
- 183
6
votes
4
answers
401
views
How to teach C++ language to beginners of (BSCS) students who have no any idea about it?
Some students come to CS field but they have no idea about any programming language. Either they will have the background of engineering or medical. But still they want to make CS their field. What ...
- 227
6
votes
1
answer
565
views
Graph / Tree Visualization Software
I am planning to begin teaching Computer Science topics in video/slide form. I would like to be able to easily create visualizations of trees and graphs (and other data structures would be great as ...
- 63
6
votes
3
answers
67
views
Designing of code kata focused on _deleting_ code as a primary goal
I am preparing an educational course on software legacy code and refactoring. Every topic is introduced as a group discussion to establish the vocabulary. It is then followed by a matching practical ...
6
votes
1
answer
180
views
How to design an assignment on applications of Formal Verification?
I'm teaching a course on Intro to Theoretical CS, which is a compulsory course for CS majors.
A pre-requisite is Math for CS and a co-requisite is Design of Algorithms.
In this course we also cover ...
- 161
6
votes
1
answer
417
views
Angular vs React vs Vue
For a software course about rich client Javascript applications we want students to be able to choose what framework they will use. Now to give us a little bit of control we want them to be able to ...
- 161
5
votes
12
answers
1k
views
Teaching the tradeoffs of the foreach loop
Edit: It's been quite a while since I posted this question, and in the intervening time, I have come to love the foreach loop. However, in order to avoid invalidating answers, I leave the text ...
- 32.9k
5
votes
7
answers
548
views
Concept of variable
For a beginner
Is it right to use the concept of hotel room and passenger as an analogy to explain the concept of variable?
- 169
5
votes
3
answers
3k
views
What and where should I study for competitive programming?
I am currently in the 10th grade. I would like to get started in competitive programming. This are the things I know now:
Mathematics - Currently in pre-calculus Well Mathematics in my country is ...
- 188
5
votes
6
answers
207
views
Is it necessary or advisable to teach text-based input and output in a non-CS intro programming course?
I teach an intro programming course in a social science department. My field is geographic information systems. The goal for the course is for the students to understand scripting in an interpreted ...
Lee Hachadoorian
5
votes
4
answers
155
views
Curriculum for a primary school learner
My niece is 11 this year and has shown a surprisingly deep interest in programming. She will spend hours on Khan Academy, using their javascript/processingjs environment. This is educational, but it's ...
- 151
5
votes
2
answers
287
views
Java or Kotlin for beginners (procedural programming knowledge is existing)?
We are teaching an "introduction to cs" course (bachelor level) and in the first half of a year students are learning the fundamental principles of procedural languages. We are using python 3 and C as ...
- 594
5
votes
1
answer
153
views
Data science tutoring without just doing my student's homework
Someone I follow on social media is a freshman at university in a non-technical major, but she has a required data science course using Python, pandas and Jupyter Lab. She requested help from her ...
5
votes
3
answers
266
views
COBOL programmers
It is a well-known fact that we have a shortage of COBOL programmers. Why we do not re-introduce COBOL in our curriculum for the Undergraduate and Graduate Students?
I know some schools are teaching ...
5
votes
2
answers
568
views
Excel macro recorder exercises
On advanced Excel courses I teach attendees how to use the macro recorder. I also start VBA beginner trainings with the recorder and analysing the recorded code. I find the macro recorder a good entry ...
- 1,398
5
votes
1
answer
159
views
What is the technology (or combination of technologies) one would use to create slides, animations and live coding for lectures?
I teach Computer Science courses. Ideally, I would like to have all teaching materials in a website: slides, animation of data structures operations, live coding to illustrate the basic data ...
- 489
4
votes
9
answers
2k
views
Why some students think that programming is difficult and hard to learn, how I convince my students that programming is not difficult as they think?
Some students think that programming courses are tough and hard. I personally know some teachers who say to their students that programming is not their cup of tea. How much percent this thing is true ...
- 159
4
votes
7
answers
8k
views
Why Computer Science students learn Digital Logic Design?
Is there any relationship between a computer science student and DLD course? I am studying BSE and we are studying DLD in my second semester. We've learned so many things about DLD but nothing is ...
- 161
4
votes
6
answers
433
views
Explain to someone that programming isn't just all "if"s and "else"s
I have a friend who, in his mind, has the wrong image about programming. Whenever I mention that programming is fun and that one can enjoy it very much especially if they like solving problems (both ...
- 143
4
votes
3
answers
163
views
how to motivate student that programming will give bright future to them?
some students in my class are leaving CS because programming is difficult and think that it will not give them bright future. how to motivate that students, that their interest is develop in ...
- 277
4
votes
5
answers
186
views
Suggestions to improve my algorithm coding skills
I have a PhD in computer science (A fresh graduate). My bachelor's major is similar to CS but without algorithms (It's a discipline between business and CS).
I am quite good at AI research but my ...
- 141
4
votes
4
answers
455
views
Is it common that CS graduates have a hard time programming?
I came across this question, I'm graduating with a Computer Science degree but I don't feel like I know how to program on https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/. It has 1050 upvotes and 130 ...
- 848
4
votes
3
answers
123
views
Resources for flowchart programming for young, new programmers?
I'm working with middle school teachers who are teaching a CS class with middle schoolers. The students have a wide range of programming skills, and for some it would be beneficial to offer them an ...
- 111
4
votes
5
answers
361
views
Book recommendation for high school students who will major in CS?
I have some students who will major in CS next year. I have taught them some basic algorithms (sorting & searching), e.g. check here How to teach algorithms in an interactive way & Teaching ...
- 848
4
votes
1
answer
285
views
Teaching an absolute beginners class Operating Systems with Rust
In our Bachelor curriculum the course Operating Systems and Computer Networks (5 CP) is designated to be taken in the second semester. Currently it uses C, and while I'm personally very fond of C, it ...
- 163
3
votes
4
answers
175
views
Ways to imagine a computer program for a student without photographic visualisation
People have different modalities in their imaginings. Some imagine things visually, some spatially, some by touch, some by smell, and some other ways.
What if a student claims to not have the ability ...
