Assessment makes perfect: improving student’s algorithmic problem solving skills using plan-based programme understanding approach

For the majority of undergraduate students of computer science, inadequate designing and planning algorithm skills are among the most salient hurdles. Learning how to design an algorithm which resolves a given problem is not easy. We propose a formative-diagnostic assessment approach which helps students on acquiring problem-solving skills that enable them to cope with problems and to design more efficient and elegant solutions. This method is based on using known components called: basic operations, which are defined and regrouped in a library. A plan-based programme understanding is used for modelling and a similarity measure is chosen for matching between plans to assess.

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