Transfer, cognitive load, and program design difficulties

David Ginat, Eyal Shifroni, Eti Menashe

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

We display a series of five studies of student difficulties with transfer during the design of computer programs. The difficulties are characterized with five transfer aspects - recognition, abstraction, mapping, embedment, and flexibility. Each study involves a programming task, and unfolds difficulties with one or more of the above aspects. The majority of the posed tasks were rather simple CS1 (Computer Science 1) or CS2 tasks, and involved specific transfer. One of the posed tasks was more involved and required both specific and non-specific transfer (and a subtler combination of the above aspects). We tie our findings to the notion of cognitive load, and its sub-notion of intrinsic cognitive load. Following our findings, we offer recommendations and guidelines for tutors, for developing improved transfer in program design.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationInformatics in Schools
Subtitle of host publicationContributing to 21st Century Education - 5th International Conference on Informatics in Schools: Situation, Evolution and Perspectives, ISSEP 2011, Proceedings
Pages165-176
Number of pages12
DOIs
StatePublished - 2011
Event5th International Conference on Informatics in Schools: Situation, Evolution and Perspectives, ISSEP 2011 - Bratislava, Slovakia
Duration: 26 Oct 201129 Oct 2011

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume7013 LNCS

Conference

Conference5th International Conference on Informatics in Schools: Situation, Evolution and Perspectives, ISSEP 2011
Country/TerritorySlovakia
CityBratislava
Period26/10/1129/10/11

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Theoretical Computer Science
  • Computer Science(all)

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