004 Datenverarbeitung; Informatik
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Keywords
Dual-normal logic programs
(2015)
Disjunctive Answer Set Programming is a powerful declarative programming paradigm with complexity beyond NP. Identifying classes of programs for which the consistency problem is in NP is of interest from the theoretical standpoint and can potentially lead to improvements in the design of answer set programming solvers. One of such classes consists of dual-normal programs, where the number of positive body atoms in proper rules is at most one. Unlike other classes of programs, dual-normal programs have received little attention so far. In this paper we study this class. We relate dual-normal programs to propositional theories and to normal programs by presenting several inter-translations. With the translation from dual-normal to normal programs at hand, we introduce the novel class of body-cycle free programs, which are in many respects dual to head-cycle free programs. We establish the expressive power of dual-normal programs in terms of SE- and UE-models, and compare them to normal programs. We also discuss the complexity of deciding whether dual-normal programs are strongly and uniformly equivalent.
KEYCIT 2014
(2015)
In our rapidly changing world it is increasingly important not only to be an expert in a chosen field of study but also to be able to respond to developments, master new approaches to solving problems, and fulfil changing requirements in the modern world and in the job market. In response to these needs key competencies in understanding, developing and using new digital technologies are being brought into focus in school and university programmes. The IFIP TC3 conference "KEYCIT – Key Competences in Informatics and ICT (KEYCIT 2014)" was held at the University of Potsdam in Germany from July 1st to 4th, 2014 and addressed the combination of key competencies, Informatics and ICT in detail. The conference was organized into strands focusing on secondary education, university education and teacher education (organized by IFIP WGs 3.1 and 3.3) and provided a forum to present and to discuss research, case studies, positions, and national perspectives in this field.
Die Studieneingangsphase stellt für Studierende eine Schlüsselphase des tertiären Ausbildungsabschnitts dar. Fachwissenschaftliches Wissen wird praxisfern vermittelt und die Studierenden können die Zusammenhänge zwischen den Themenfeldern der verschiedenen Vorlesungen nicht erkennen. Zur Verbesserung der Situation wurde ein Workshop entwickelt, der die Verbindung der Programmierung und der Datenstrukturen vertieft. Dabei wird das Spiel Go-Moku1 als Android-App von den Studierenden selbständig entwickelt. Die Kombination aus Software (Java, Android-SDK) und Hardware (Tablet-Computer) für ein kleines realistisches Softwareprojekt stellt für die Studierenden eine neue Erfahrung dar.
Seit den 60er Jahren gibt es im deutschsprachigen Raum Diskussionen um die Begriffe Schlüsselqualifikation und (Schlüssel-)Kompetenz, welche seit ca. 2000 auch in der Informatikdidaktik angekommen sind. Die Diskussionen der Fachdisziplinen und ihre Bedeutung für die Informatikdidaktik sind Gegenstand des ersten Teils dieser Dissertation. Es werden Rahmenmodelle zur Strukturierung und Einordnung von Kompetenzen entworfen, die für alle Fachdisziplinen nutzbar sind. Im zweiten Teil wird ein methodologischer Weg gezeigt, Schlüsselkompetenzen herzuleiten, ohne normativ vorgehen zu müssen. Hierzu wird das Verfahren der Qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse (QI) auf informatikdidaktische Ansätze angewendet. Die resultierenden Kompetenzen werden in weiteren Schritten verfeinert und in die zuvor entworfenen Rahmenmodelle eingeordnet. Das Ergebnis sind informatische Schlüsselkompetenzen, welche ein spezifisches Bild der Informatik zeichnen und zur Analyse bereits bestehender Curricula genutzt werden können. Zusätzlich zeigt das Verfahren einen Weg auf, wie Schlüsselkompetenzen auf nicht-normativem Wege generell hergeleitet werden können.
Erstsemester-Studierende sind mit den Anforderungen des Lehr-/ Lernprozess einer Universität oder Fachhochschule noch nicht vertraut. Ihre Erwartungen orientieren sich vielmehr an ihrer bisherigen Lerngeschichte (Abitur, Fachabitur, o. ä.). Neben den fachlichen Anforderungen des ersten Semesters müssen die Studierenden also auch Veränderungen im Lehr-/Lernprozess erkennen und bewältigen. Es wird anhand einer Output-orientierten
informatischen Lehrveranstaltung aufgezeigt, dass sich aus deren strengen Anforderungen der Messbarkeit klare Kompetenzbeschreibungen ergeben, die besonders dem Orientierungsbedürfnis Erstsemester-Studierender entgegenkommen.
Many chemical reactions in biological cells occur at very low concentrations of constituent molecules. Thus, transcriptional gene-regulation is often controlled by poorly expressed transcription-factors, such as E.coli lac repressor with few tens of copies. Here we study the effects of inherent concentration fluctuations of substrate-molecules on the seminal Michaelis-Menten scheme of biochemical reactions. We present a universal correction to the Michaelis-Menten equation for the reaction-rates. The relevance and validity of this correction for enzymatic reactions and intracellular gene-regulation is demonstrated. Our analytical theory and simulation results confirm that the proposed variance-corrected Michaelis-Menten equation predicts the rate of reactions with remarkable accuracy even in the presence of large non-equilibrium concentration fluctuations. The major advantage of our approach is that it involves only the mean and variance of the substrate-molecule concentration. Our theory is therefore accessible to experiments and not specific to the exact source of the concentration fluctuations.
Auf der Grundlage der Planung, Durchführung, Evaluation und Revision eines gemeinsamen Seminars von Medienpädagogik und Didaktik der Informatik stellen wir in diesem Aufsatz dar, wo die Defizite klassischer Medienbildung in Bezug auf digitale bzw. interaktive Medien liegen und welche Inhalte der Informatik für Studierende aller Lehrämter – im allgemeinbildenden Sinne – aus dieser Perspektive relevant erscheinen.
Die Tagung HDI 2014 in Freiburg zur Hochschuldidaktik der Informatik HDI wurde erneut vom Fachbereich Informatik und Ausbildung / Didaktik der Informatik (IAD) in der Gesellschaft für Informatik e. V. (GI) organisiert. Sie dient den Lehrenden der Informatik in Studiengängen an Hochschulen als Forum der Information und des Austauschs über neue didaktische Ansätze und bildungspolitische Themen im Bereich der Hochschulausbildung aus der fachlichen Perspektive der Informatik.
Die HDI 2014 ist nun bereits die sechste Ausgabe der HDI. Für sie wurde das spezielle Motto „Gestalten und Meistern von Übergängen“ gewählt. Damit soll ein besonderes Augenmerk auf die Übergänge von Schule zum Studium, vom Bachelor zum Master, vom Studium zur Promotion oder vom Studium zur Arbeitswelt gelegt werden.
Die regelmäßige Navigation durch den Raum gehört für Studenten der Universität Potsdam zum Alltag. Man möchte, unabhängig vom Fortbewegungsmittel, schnell und sicher von zu Hause zum Hörsaal oder Seminargebäude. Eine umfassende Navigationshilfe, die alle Transportmodi verbindet, wird dafür verlangt.
Das Ziel dieser Arbeit besteht darin, ein Konzept für einen multimodalen Routenplaner zu entwickeln, der es Studenten und Gästen der Universität Potsdam ermöglicht, sich zwischen den dezentral gelegenen Campusstandorten zu bewegen – egal ob mit Bus und Bahn, dem Auto, Fahrrad oder zu Fuß. Die Implementierung erfolgt ausschließlich auf Grundlage freier Daten und freier, quelloffener Software (FOSS), die für diesen Zweck aufbereitet werden. Ergebnis ist eine webbasierte Applikation, die über eine Entwicklerschnittstelle (API) in andere Projekte eingebunden werden kann.
Der folgende Artikel beschreibt die Evaluation eines Lehrvideos zum informatischen Problemlösen, welches auf der Grundlage einer Vergleichsstudie mit starken und schwachen Problemlösern entwickelt wurde. Beispielhaft wird in dem Film ein Färbeproblem durch einen fiktiven Hochleister unter lautem Denken gelöst, die einzelnen Arbeitsschritte werden abschnittsweise kommentiert und erklärt. Ob dieses Lernkonzept von Studenten akzeptiert wird und sich durch Anschauen des Videos tatsächlich ein Lerneffekt einstellt, wurde durch eine Befragung und eine erste Vergleichsstudie untersucht.
In der Lehre zur MCI (Mensch-Computer-Interaktion) stellt sich immer wieder die Herausforderung, praktische Übungen mit spannenden Ergebnissen durchzuführen, die sich dennoch nicht in technischen Details verlieren sondern MCI-fokussiert bleiben. Im Lehrmodul „Interaktionsdesign“ an der Universität Hamburg werden von Studierenden innerhalb von drei Wochen prototypische Interaktionskonzepte für das Spiel Neverball entworfen und praktisch umgesetzt. Anders als in den meisten Grundlagenkursen zur MCI werden hier nicht Mock-Ups, sondern lauffähige Software entwickelt. Um dies innerhalb der Projektzeit zu ermöglichen, wurde Neverball um eine TCP-basierte Schnittstelle erweitert. So entfällt die aufwändige Einarbeitung in den Quellcode des Spiels und die Studierenden können sich auf ihre Interaktionsprototypen konzentrieren. Wir beschreiben die Erfahrungen aus der
mehrmaligen Durchführung des Projektes und erläutern unser Vorgehen bei der Umsetzung. Die Ergebnisse sollen Lehrende im Bereich MCI unterstützen, ähnliche praxisorientierte Übungen mit Ergebnissen „zum Anfassen“ zu gestalten.
Es wird ein Informatik-Wettbewerb für Schülerinnen und Schüler der Sekundarstufe II beschrieben, der über mehrere Wochen möglichst realitätsnah die Arbeitswelt eines Informatikers vorstellt. Im Wettbewerb erarbeiten die Schülerteams eine Android-App und organisieren ihre Entwicklung durch Projektmanagementmethoden, die sich an professionellen, agilen Prozessen orientieren. Im Beitrag werden der theoretische Hintergrund zu Wettbewerben, die organisatorischen und didaktischen Entscheidung, eine erste Evaluation sowie Reflexion und Ausblick dargestellt.
Business process management (BPM) is a systematic and structured approach to model, analyze, control, and execute business operations also referred to as business processes that get carried out to achieve business goals. Central to BPM are conceptual models. Most prominently, process models describe which tasks are to be executed by whom utilizing which information to reach a business goal. Process models generally cover the perspectives of control flow, resource, data flow, and information systems.
Execution of business processes leads to the work actually being carried out. Automating them increases the efficiency and is usually supported by process engines. This, though, requires the coverage of control flow, resource assignments, and process data. While the first two perspectives are well supported in current process engines, data handling needs to be implemented and maintained manually. However, model-driven data handling promises to ease implementation, reduces the error-proneness through graphical visualization, and reduces development efforts through code generation.
This thesis addresses the modeling, analysis, and execution of data in business processes and presents a novel approach to execute data-annotated process models entirely model-driven. As a first step and formal grounding for the process execution, a conceptual framework for the integration of processes and data is introduced. This framework is complemented by operational semantics through a Petri net mapping extended with data considerations. Model-driven data execution comprises the handling of complex data dependencies, process data, and data exchange in case of communication between multiple process participants. This thesis introduces concepts from the database domain into BPM to enable the distinction of data operations, to specify relations between data objects of the same as well as of different types, to correlate modeled data nodes as well as received messages to the correct run-time process instances, and to generate messages for inter-process communication. The underlying approach, which is not limited to a particular process description language, has been implemented as proof-of-concept.
Automation of data handling in business processes requires data-annotated and correct process models. Targeting the former, algorithms are introduced to extract information about data nodes, their states, and data dependencies from control information and to annotate the process model accordingly. Usually, not all required information can be extracted from control flow information, since some data manipulations are not specified. This requires further refinement of the process model. Given a set of object life cycles specifying allowed data manipulations, automated refinement of the process model towards containment of all data manipulations is enabled. Process models are an abstraction focusing on specific aspects in detail, e.g., the control flow and the data flow views are often represented through activity-centric and object-centric process models. This thesis introduces algorithms for roundtrip transformations enabling the stakeholder to add information to the process model in the view being most appropriate.
Targeting process model correctness, this thesis introduces the notion of weak conformance that checks for consistency between given object life cycles and the process model such that the process model may only utilize data manipulations specified directly or indirectly in an object life cycle. The notion is computed via soundness checking of a hybrid representation integrating control flow and data flow correctness checking. Making a process model executable, identified violations must be corrected. Therefore, an approach is proposed that identifies for each violation multiple, alternative changes to the process model or the object life cycles.
Utilizing the results of this thesis, business processes can be executed entirely model-driven from the data perspective in addition to the control flow and resource perspectives already supported before. Thereby, the model creation is supported by algorithms partly automating the creation process while model consistency is ensured by data correctness checks.
An increasing demand on functionality and flexibility leads to an integration of beforehand isolated system solutions building a so-called System of Systems (SoS). Furthermore, the overall SoS should be adaptive to react on changing requirements and environmental conditions. Due SoS are composed of different independent systems that may join or leave the overall SoS at arbitrary point in times, the SoS structure varies during the systems lifetime and the overall SoS behavior emerges from the capabilities of the contained subsystems. In such complex system ensembles new demands of understanding the interaction among subsystems, the coupling of shared system knowledge and the influence of local adaptation strategies to the overall resulting system behavior arise. In this report, we formulate research questions with the focus of modeling interactions between system parts inside a SoS. Furthermore, we define our notion of important system types and terms by retrieving the current state of the art from literature. Having a common understanding of SoS, we discuss a set of typical SoS characteristics and derive general requirements for a collaboration modeling language. Additionally, we retrieve a broad spectrum of real scenarios and frameworks from literature and discuss how these scenarios cope with different characteristics of SoS. Finally, we discuss the state of the art for existing modeling languages that cope with collaborations for different system types such as SoS.
The growing impact of globalisation and the development of
a ‘knowledge society’ have led many to argue that 21st century skills are
essential for life in twenty-first century society and that ICT is central
to their development. This paper describes how 21st century skills, in
particular digital literacy, critical thinking, creativity, communication
and collaboration skills, have been conceptualised and embedded in the
resources developed for teachers in iTEC, a four-year, European project.
The effectiveness of this approach is considered in light of the data
collected through the evaluation of the pilots, which considers both the
potential benefits of using technology to support the development of
21st century skills, but also the challenges of doing so. Finally, the paper
discusses the learning support systems required in order to transform
pedagogies and embed 21st century skills. It is argued that support is
required in standards and assessment; curriculum and instruction; professional
development; and learning environments.
In the project MoKoM, which is funded by the German
Research Foundation (DFG) from 2008 to 2012, a test instrument
measuring students’ competences in computer science was developed.
This paper presents the results of an expert rating of the levels of
students’ competences done for the items of the instrument.
At first we will describe the difficulty-relevant features that were
used for the evaluation. These were deduced from computer science,
psychological and didactical findings and resources. Potentials and
desiderata of this research method are discussed further on. Finally
we will present our conclusions on the results and give an outlook on
further steps.
BugHunt
(2015)
Competencies related to operating systems and computer
security are usually taught systematically. In this paper we present
a different approach, in which students have to remove virus-like
behaviour on their respective computers, which has been induced by
software developed for this purpose. They have to develop appropriate
problem-solving strategies and thereby explore essential elements of
the operating system. The approach was implemented exemplarily in
two computer science courses at a regional general upper secondary
school and showed great motivation and interest in the participating
students.
The objectives of this study were to examine (a) the effect
of dynamic assessment (DA) in a 3D Immersive Virtual Reality
(IVR) environment as compared with computerized 2D and noncomputerized
(NC) situations on cognitive modifiability, and (b) the
transfer effects of these conditions on more difficult problem solving
administered two weeks later in a non-computerized environment. A
sample of 117 children aged 6:6-9:0 years were randomly assigned
into three experimental groups of DA conditions: 3D, 2D, and NC, and
one control group (C). All groups received the pre- and post-teaching
Analogies subtest of the Cognitive Modifiability Battery (CMB-AN).
The experimental groups received a teaching phase in conditions similar
to the pre-and post-teaching phases. The findings showed that cognitive
modifiability, in a 3D IVR, was distinctively higher than in the two
other experimental groups (2D computer group and NC group). It was
also found that the 3D group showed significantly higher performance
in transfer problems than the 2D and NC groups.
This article shows a discussion about the key competencies
in informatics and ICT viewed from a philosophical foundation presented
by Martha Nussbaum, which is known as ‘ten central capabilities’.
Firstly, the outline of ‘The Capability Approach’, which has been presented
by Amartya Sen and Nussbaum as a theoretical framework of
assessing the state of social welfare, will be explained. Secondly, the
body of Nussbaum’s ten central capabilities and the reason for being
applied as the basis of discussion will be shown. Thirdly, the relationship
between the concept of ‘capability’ and ‘competency’ is to be
discussed. After that, the author’s assumption of the key competencies
in informatics and ICT led from the examination of Nussbaum’s ten
capabilities will be presented.
This paper originated from discussions about the need for
important changes in the curriculum for Computing including two focus
group meetings at IFIP conferences over the last two years. The
paper examines how recent developments in curriculum, together with
insights from curriculum thinking in other subject areas, especially mathematics
and science, can inform curriculum design for Computing.
The analysis presented in the paper provides insights into the complexity
of curriculum design as well as identifying important constraints and
considerations for the ongoing development of a vision and framework
for a Computing curriculum.
IT EnGAGES!
(2015)
Durch den Einsatz von Spielen und Spielelementen in Lernkontexten wird versucht, Lernende zur Beschäftigung mit den Lerninhalten zu motivieren. Spielerische Elemente haben allerdings nicht nur positive motivationale Effekte: Sie können sich beispielsweise negativ auf die intrinsische Motivation auswirken, und auch nicht jeder Lernende spielt gerne. Um negativen Einflüssen von Gamification entgegenzuwirken, wurde ein Toolkit für adaptierbare Lernumgebungen entwickelt. Damit erzeugte Lernumgebungen erlauben es Studierenden, den Grad der Gamification selbst zu bestimmen, indem Spielelemente an- und abgeschaltet werden. Im Rahmen einer Anfängerprogrammiervorlesung wurden Lernspielaufgaben aus den existierenden, optionalen interaktiven eTests entwickelt und Studierenden als zusätzliche Lerngelegenheit angeboten. Eine erste explorative Studie bestätigt die Vermutung, dass die Akzeptanz des adaptierbaren Lernspiels sehr hoch ist, es aber dennoch Studierende gibt, welche die Lernumgebung ohne Spielelemente durcharbeiten. Somit bietet adaptierbare Gamification verschiedenen Studierenden die Möglichkeit, sich zusätzliche motivationale Anreize durch Zuschalten von Spielelementen zu verschaffen, ohne dabei zum Spielen „genötigt“ zu werden.
Peer Assessment ist eine Methode, bei der die Teilnehmer eine gestellte Aufgabe nicht nur bearbeiten und einreichen, sondern – in einer zweiten Phase – diese auch gegenseitig überprüfen, kommentieren und bewerten. Durch diese Methode wird, auch in sehr großen Veranstaltungen, das Üben mit individuellen Bewertungen und individuellem Feedback möglich.
Im Wintersemester 2013/14 wurde dieser Ansatz in der Erstsemesterveranstaltung Programmieren an der Technischen Hochschule Nürnberg mit 340 Studierenden als semesterbegleitendes Online-Pflichtpraktikum erprobt. Bei gleichen Leistungsanforderungen wurde bei Studierenden, die erfolgreich am Praktikum teilnahmen, eine Reduzierung der Durchfallquote um durchschnittlich 60 % und eine Verbesserung der Durchschnittsnote um 0,6 – 0,9 Notenstufen erzielt. Zudem lernten die teilnehmenden Studierenden kontinuierlicher, bereiteten Lerninhalte besser nach und gelangten zu einer überwiegend positiven Einschätzung des Praktikums und der Methode. Im E-Learning System Moodle kann Peer Assessment, mit moderatem Umsetzungs- und Betreuungsaufwand, mit der Workshop-Aktivität realisiert werden. Im Beitrag wird auf die Schlüsselelemente des erfolgreichen Einsatzes von Peer Assessment eingegangen.
Es wird ein umfassendes Mentoring Konzept im Studiengang Informatik an der RWTH Aachen vorgestellt, das den Übergang von der Schule zur Universität unterstützt und gleichzeitig beim Auftreten von Schwierigkeiten im Verlauf des Studiums effiziente und kompetente Beratung bietet. Das Programm erreicht durchgängig hohe Akzeptanzwerte bei den Studierenden trotz verpflichtender Teilnahme im ersten Semester. Die Wirksamkeit des Programms ist durch die zahlreichen einflussgebenden Variablen zwar rein quantitativ kaum messbar, die Möglichkeit auf organisatorische und fachliche Probleme eines Jahrgangs reagieren zu können sowie einen Einblick auf die Gründe für einen Studienabbruch zu bekommen, bestätigt aber die Notwendigkeit der Maßnahme.
Der Beitrag stellt das Konzept des Semantischen Positionierens als eine Möglichkeit vor, Grundformen des wissenschaftlichen Arbeitens und elementare Formen der diskursiven Auseinandersetzung zu vermitteln, ohne dass die Studierenden sich inhaltlich an der aktuellen Forschung beteiligen müssten. Die Umsetzung dieses Konzepts im Bachelorstudium der Informatik verdeutlicht, dass mit diesem Ansatz sowohl die Kompetenzen für den Übergang in den mehr forschungsgetriebenen Masterstudiengang als auch für die berufliche Wissensarbeit erworben werden können.
Business Process Management has become an integral part of modern organizations in the private and public sector for improving their operations. In the course of Business Process Management efforts, companies and organizations assemble large process model repositories with many hundreds and thousands of business process models bearing a large amount of information. With the advent of large business process model collections, new challenges arise as structuring and managing a large amount of process models, their maintenance, and their quality assurance.
This is covered by business process architectures that have been introduced for organizing and structuring business process model collections. A variety of business process architecture approaches have been proposed that align business processes along aspects of interest, e. g., goals, functions, or objects. They provide a high level categorization of single processes ignoring their interdependencies, thus hiding valuable information. The production of goods or the delivery of services are often realized by a complex system of interdependent business processes. Hence, taking a holistic view at business processes interdependencies becomes a major necessity to organize, analyze, and assess the impact of their re-/design. Visualizing business processes interdependencies reveals hidden and implicit information from a process model collection.
In this thesis, we present a novel Business Process Architecture approach for representing and analyzing business process interdependencies on an abstract level. We propose a formal definition of our Business Process Architecture approach, design correctness criteria, and develop analysis techniques for assessing their quality. We describe a methodology for applying our Business Process Architecture approach top-down and bottom-up. This includes techniques for Business Process Architecture extraction from, and decomposition to process models while considering consistency issues between business process architecture and process model level. Using our extraction algorithm, we present a novel technique to identify and visualize data interdependencies in Business Process Data Architectures. Our Business Process Architecture approach provides business process experts,managers, and other users of a process model collection with an overview that allows reasoning about a large set of process models,
understanding, and analyzing their interdependencies in a facilitated way. In this regard we evaluated our Business Process Architecture approach in an experiment and provide implementations of selected techniques.
Computational thinking is a fundamental skill set that is learned
by studying Informatics and ICT. We argue that its core ideas can
be introduced in an inspiring and integrated way to both teachers and
students using fun and contextually rich cs4fn ‘Computer Science for
Fun’ stories combined with ‘unplugged’ activities including games and
magic tricks. We also argue that understanding people is an important
part of computational thinking. Computational thinking can be fun for
everyone when taught in kinaesthetic ways away from technology.
As a result of the Bologna reform of educational systems in
Europe the outcome orientation of learning processes, competence-oriented
descriptions of the curricula and competence-oriented assessment
procedures became standard also in Computer Science Education
(CSE). The following keynote addresses important issues of shaping
a CSE competence model especially in the area of informatics system
comprehension and object-oriented modelling. Objectives and research
methodology of the project MoKoM (Modelling and Measurement
of Competences in CSE) are explained. Firstly, the CSE competence
model was derived based on theoretical concepts and then secondly the
model was empirically examined and refined using expert interviews.
Furthermore, the paper depicts the development and examination of
a competence measurement instrument, which was derived from the
competence model. Therefore, the instrument was applied to a large
sample of students at the gymnasium’s upper class level. Subsequently,
efforts to develop a competence level model, based on the retrieved empirical
results and on expert ratings are presented. Finally, further demands
on research on competence modelling in CSE will be outlined.
Regardless of what is intended by government curriculum
specifications and advised by educational experts, the competencies
taught and learned in and out of classrooms can vary considerably.
In this paper, we discuss in particular how we can investigate the
perceptions that individual teachers have of competencies in ICT,
and how these and other factors may influence students’ learning. We
report case study research which identifies contradictions within the
teaching of ICT competencies as an activity system, highlighting issues
concerning the object of the curriculum, the roles of the participants and
the school cultures. In a particular case, contradictions in the learning
objectives between higher order skills and the use of application tools
have been resolved by a change in the teacher’s perceptions which
have not led to changes in other aspects of the activity system. We look
forward to further investigation of the effects of these contradictions in
other case studies and on forthcoming curriculum change.
The paper presents two approaches to the development of
a Computer Science Competence Model for the needs of curriculum
development and evaluation in Higher Education. A normativetheoretical
approach is based on the AKT and ACM/IEEE curriculum
and will be used within the recommendations of the German
Informatics Society (GI) for the design of CS curricula. An empirically
oriented approach refines the categories of the first one with regard to
specific subject areas by conducting content analysis on CS curricula of
important universities from several countries. The refined model will be
used for the needs of students’ e-assessment and subsequent affirmative
action of the CS departments.
The paper discusses the issue of supporting informatics
(computer science) education through competitions for lower and
upper secondary school students (8–19 years old). Competitions play
an important role for learners as a source of inspiration, innovation,
and attraction. Running contests in informatics for school students
for many years, we have noticed that the students consider the contest
experience very engaging and exciting as well as a learning experience.
A contest is an excellent instrument to involve students in problem
solving activities. An overview of infrastructure and development
of an informatics contest from international level to the national one
(the Bebras contest on informatics and computer fluency, originated
in Lithuania) is presented. The performance of Bebras contests in 23
countries during the last 10 years showed an unexpected and unusually
high acceptance by school students and teachers. Many thousands of
students participated and got a valuable input in addition to their regular
informatics lectures at school. In the paper, the main attention is paid
to the developed tasks and analysis of students’ task solving results in
Lithuania.
Social networks are currently at the forefront of tools that
lend to Personal Learning Environments (PLEs). This study aimed to
observe how students perceived PLEs, what they believed were the
integral components of social presence when using Facebook as part
of a PLE, and to describe student’s preferences for types of interactions
when using Facebook as part of their PLE. This study used mixed
methods to analyze the perceptions of graduate and undergraduate
students on the use of social networks, more specifically Facebook as a
learning tool. Fifty surveys were returned representing a 65 % response
rate. Survey questions included both closed and open-ended questions.
Findings suggested that even though students rated themselves relatively
well in having requisite technology skills, and 94 % of students used
Facebook primarily for social use, they were hesitant to migrate these
skills to academic use because of concerns of privacy, believing that
other platforms could fulfil the same purpose, and by not seeing the
validity to use Facebook in establishing social presence. What lies
at odds with these beliefs is that when asked to identify strategies in
Facebook that enabled social presence to occur in academic work, the
majority of students identified strategies in five categories that lead to
social presence establishment on Facebook during their coursework.
Teaching Data Management
(2015)
Data management is a central topic in computer science as
well as in computer science education. Within the last years, this topic is
changing tremendously, as its impact on daily life becomes increasingly
visible. Nowadays, everyone not only needs to manage data of various
kinds, but also continuously generates large amounts of data. In
addition, Big Data and data analysis are intensively discussed in public
dialogue because of their influences on society. For the understanding of
such discussions and for being able to participate in them, fundamental
knowledge on data management is necessary. Especially, being aware
of the threats accompanying the ability to analyze large amounts of
data in nearly real-time becomes increasingly important. This raises the
question, which key competencies are necessary for daily dealings with
data and data management.
In this paper, we will first point out the importance of data management
and of Big Data in daily life. On this basis, we will analyze which are
the key competencies everyone needs concerning data management to
be able to handle data in a proper way in daily life. Afterwards, we will
discuss the impact of these changes in data management on computer
science education and in particular database education.
The Student Learning Ecology
(2015)
Educational research on social media has showed that
students use it for socialisation, personal communication, and informal
learning. Recent studies have argued that students to some degree use
social media to carry out formal schoolwork. This article gives an
explorative account on how a small sample of Norwegian high school
students use social media to self-organise formal schoolwork. This
user pattern can be called a “student learning ecology”, which is a
user perspective on how participating students gain access to learning
resources.
This paper discusses results from a small-scale research
study, together with some recently published research into student
perceptions of ICT for learning in schools, to consider relevant skills
that do not appear to currently being taught. The paper concludes by
raising three issues relating to learning with and through ICT that need
to be addressed in school curricula and classroom teaching.
How Things Work
(2015)
Recognizing and defining functionality is a key competence
adopted in all kinds of programming projects. This study investigates
how far students without specific informatics training are able to identify
and verbalize functions and parameters. It presents observations
from classroom activities on functional modeling in high school chemistry
lessons with altogether 154 students. Finally it discusses the potential
of functional modelling to improve the comprehension of scientific
content.
Computational Thinking
(2015)
Digital technology has radically changed the way people
work in industry, finance, services, media and commerce. Informatics
has contributed to the scientific and technological development of our
society in general and to the digital revolution in particular. Computational
thinking is the term indicating the key ideas of this discipline that
might be included in the key competencies underlying the curriculum
of compulsory education. The educational potential of informatics has
a history dating back to the sixties. In this article, we briefly revisit this
history looking for lessons learned. In particular, we focus on experiences
of teaching and learning programming. However, computational
thinking is more than coding. It is a way of thinking and practicing interactive
dynamic modeling with computers. We advocate that learners
can practice computational thinking in playful contexts where they can
develop personal projects, for example building videogames and/or robots,
share and discuss their construction with others. In our view, this
approach allows an integration of computational thinking in the K-12
curriculum across disciplines.
The Technology Proficiency Self-Assessment (TPSA) questionnaire
has been used for 15 years in the USA and other nations as a
self-efficacy measure for proficiencies fundamental to effective technology
integration in the classroom learning environment. Internal consistency
reliabilities for each of the five-item scales have typically ranged
from .73 to .88 for preservice or inservice technology-using teachers.
Due to changing technologies used in education, researchers sought to
renovate partially obsolete items and extend self-efficacy assessment to
new areas, such as social media and mobile learning. Analysis of 2014
data gathered on a new, 34 item version of the TPSA indicates that the
four established areas of email, World Wide Web (WWW), integrated
applications, and teaching with technology continue to form consistent
scales with reliabilities ranging from .81 to .93, while the 14 new items
gathered to represent emerging technologies and media separate into
two scales, each with internal consistency reliabilities greater than .9.
The renovated TPSA is deemed to be worthy of continued use in the
teaching with technology context.
How does the Implementation of a Literacy Learning Tool Kit influence Literacy Skill Acquisition?
(2015)
This study aimed at following how teachers transfer skills
into results while using ABRA literacy software. This was done in
the second part of the pilot study whose aim was to provide equity to
control group teachers and students by exposing them to the ABRACADABRA
treatment after the end of phase 1. This opportunity was
used to follow the phase 1 teachers to see how the skills learned were
being transformed into results. A standard three-day initial training and
planning session on how to use ABRA to teach literacy was held at the
beginning of each phase for ABRA teachers (phase 1 experimental and
phase 2 delayed ABRA). Teachers were provided with teaching materials
including a tentative ABRA curriculum developed to align with the
Kenyan English Language requirements for year 1 and 3 students. Results
showed that although there was no significant difference between
the groups in vocabulary-related subscales which include word reading
and meaning as well as sentence comprehension, students in ABRACADABRA
classes improved their scores at a significantly higher rate
than students in control classes in comprehension related scores. An
average student in the ABRACADABRA group improved by 12 and
16 percentile points respectively compared to their counterparts in the
control group.
In this paper we describe the recent state of our research
project concerning computer science teachers’ knowledge on students’
cognition. We did a comprehensive analysis of textbooks, curricula
and other resources, which give teachers guidance to formulate assignments.
In comparison to other subjects there are only a few concepts
and strategies taught to prospective computer science teachers in university.
We summarize them and given an overview on our empirical
approach to measure this knowledge.
The study reported in this paper involved the employment
of specific in-class exercises using a Personal Response System (PRS).
These exercises were designed with two goals: to enhance students’
capabilities of tracing a given code and of explaining a given code in
natural language with some abstraction. The paper presents evidence
from the actual use of the PRS along with students’ subjective impressions
regarding both the use of the PRS and the special exercises. The
conclusions from the findings are followed with a short discussion on
benefits of PRS-based mental processing exercises for learning programming
and beyond.
Mentoring in a Digital World
(2015)
This paper focuses on the results of the evaluation of the first
pilot of an e-mentoring unit designed by the Hands-On ICT consortium,
funded by the EU LLL programme. The overall aim of this two-year
activity is to investigate the value for professional learning of Massive
Online Open Courses (MOOCs) and Community Online Open Courses
(COOCs) in the context of a ‘community of practice’. Three units in the
first pilot covered aspects of using digital technologies to develop creative
thinking skills. The findings in this paper relate to the fourth unit
about e-mentoring, a skill that was important to delivering the course
content in the other three units. Findings about the e-mentoring unit
included: the students’ request for detailed profiles so that participants
can get to know each other; and, the need to reconcile the different
interpretations of e-mentoring held by the participants when the course
begins. The evaluators concluded that the major issues were that: not all
professional learners would self-organise and network; and few would
wish to mentor their colleagues voluntarily. Therefore, the e-mentoring
issues will need careful consideration in pilots two and three to identify
how e-mentoring will be organised.
Physical computing covers the design and realization of interactive
objects and installations and allows students to develop concrete,
tangible products of the real world that arise from the learners’
imagination. This way, constructionist learning is raised to a level that
enables students to gain haptic experience and thereby concretizes the
virtual. In this paper the defining characteristics of physical computing
are described. Key competences to be gained with physical computing
will be identified.
A project involving the composition of a number of pieces
of music by public participants revealed levels of engagement with and
mastery of complex music technologies by a number of secondary student
volunteers. This paper reports briefly on some initial findings of
that project and seeks to illuminate an understanding of computational
thinking across the curriculum.