Clearing the Hurdles to Success in Teaching Computer Programming: Applying the Scientific Method to Improve Student Outcomes

Many recent articles advocate taking a scientific approach to teaching science and technology. Computer programming, while being one of the most valuable skills for science and technology workers, is one of the more challenging subjects for many postsecondary students. We present the results of an exploratory empirical study involving two sections of an introductory programming course taught by the same instructor in the same semester. Identical course material was presented at the same pace to both sections. The only difference was that one section received the lecture interspersed with hands-on examples while the other had the hands-on practice delayed until the end of the lecture. The data show that interspersing hands-on programming examples resulted in higher exam scores and a higher student retention rate than the section that worked the examples after the lecture.