Developing Code Reading Skills in Entry-Level Computer Science Courses
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| Vydáno v: | ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (2025) |
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ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
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| On-line přístup: | Citation/Abstract Full Text - PDF |
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| 045 | 2 | |b d20250101 |b d20251231 | |
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| 100 | 1 | |a Banweer, Keerti | |
| 245 | 1 | |a Developing Code Reading Skills in Entry-Level Computer Science Courses | |
| 260 | |b ProQuest Dissertations & Theses |c 2025 | ||
| 513 | |a Dissertation/Thesis | ||
| 520 | 3 | |a Code review and debugging are fundamental practices in software development, essential for ensuring code quality, consistency, and knowledge sharing. With the growing use of AI-based tools for code generation, these skills have become even more critical. While large language models (LLMs) can accelerate code writing, they also introduce new challenges related to code correctness, maintainability, and integration with existing systems. As a result, effective code review and debugging are increasingly important in both industry and education.In computer science (CS) education, these skills are equally vital for student success. In large-scale programming courses, where autograders are commonly used, students must be able to identify, locate, and fix errors independently. However, despite their importance, code review and debugging are often neglected in early programming instruction. This is largely due to the complexity and resource demands of integrating these practices into the curriculum, both for instructors and students. Without explicit instruction, students often rely on trial-and-error methods, which can lead to frustration, reduced confidence, and poor learning outcomes.This dissertation addresses this instructional gap by examining the challenges students face in learning debugging and code review at different stages of a CS program. Using qualitative methods, the study explores how students develop debugging skills in a CS program at the University of Oklahoma and how the absence of structured guidance affects their learning. The findings from this study indicate that even students with intermediate to advanced programming experience struggle with debugging when not explicitly taught in instruction, and that unguided practice can have a negative impact on their learning experience.To address these challenges, this research introduces Code Insight, a novel instructional intervention to be implemented as an in-class activity, grounded in the principles of active learning. Designed for integration into classroom lectures, Code Insight simplifies the teaching and learning of code review and debugging practices in introductory programming courses. This intervention emphasizes code analysis over code creation and is structured to minimize grading in instructional burden. Importantly, it is intentionally designed to minimize excessive cognitive workload on novice programmers in a CS program, ensuring that the activity supports learning without introducing unnecessary complexity and additional workload on students as well as instructors.The effectiveness of Code Insight intervention was evaluated through anonymous student feedback collected across two semesters. The results indicate that the students felt more confident in their ability to review and debug code after participating in the activity. By identifying and addressing common difficulties in learning to debug a program, this dissertation presents a practical and scalable solution for enhancing programming instruction starting from introductory courses in a CS program. It highlights a critical gap in integrating code review and debugging practices in CS education and offers a pedagogical approach that supports the development of essential programming skills and enhances students' motivation and self-efficacy when working with complex programming tasks. | |
| 653 | |a Computer science | ||
| 653 | |a Educational technology | ||
| 653 | |a Computer engineering | ||
| 653 | |a Systems science | ||
| 773 | 0 | |t ProQuest Dissertations and Theses |g (2025) | |
| 786 | 0 | |d ProQuest |t ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global | |
| 856 | 4 | 1 | |3 Citation/Abstract |u https://www.proquest.com/docview/3238895030/abstract/embedded/L8HZQI7Z43R0LA5T?source=fedsrch |
| 856 | 4 | 0 | |3 Full Text - PDF |u https://www.proquest.com/docview/3238895030/fulltextPDF/embedded/L8HZQI7Z43R0LA5T?source=fedsrch |