Breaking down programming exercises to a comprehensible level.

What is it about?

As programming exercises are necessary to learn programming itself, we focused on breaking down the essential features of a task based on theories of cognitive load, problem solving and computational thinking. By this we adapted the instructions of a set of exercises to look into, how students perceived the changes. Additionally we created an template-based generation tool to systematically create these exercises and lower the manual effort for educators.

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Why is it important?

The unique aspect of our work lies in the combination of various domains to develop an effective model for adaptive programming tasks. By integrating cognitive load theory, computational thinking, and feature-oriented software product line engineering, we offer a comprehensive approach to track student knowledge and adapt programming exercises accordingly. This approach addresses a significant challenge in personalized learning, specifically the selection and implementation of appropriate changes to accommodate individual students' needs and abilities. By leveraging the insights gained from an exploratory study with students, our model provides valuable guidance for designing adaptive programming tasks. The potential impact of our work lies in its ability to enhance the effectiveness of personalized learning approaches in programming education. By providing a model that facilitates the selection and adaptation of programming exercises, educators and instructional designers can create tailored learning experiences for students. This could lead to improved engagement, better knowledge retention, and increased mastery of programming concepts. The inclusion of a template-based generator in our approach further contributes to its practicality and usability.

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