Evaluation of an intervention on activity planning in CS1

Abstract

A key factor in online learning is an instructional design that ensures that students maintain an adequate and constant learning pace throughout the course. This is especially relevant when a fundamentally practical and progressive learning approach is required, such as in introductory programming courses. This article describes an intervention conducted in a first-year subject of the Computer Engineering degree called “Programming Fundamentals”. This subject poses many challenges related to the introduction of abstract concepts, the completion of programming exercises in a specific language, and the monitoring of the pace of proposed learning activities so that students can achieve adequate learning. Based on academic results from several semesters, it was decided to make an intervention that modified the planning of learning activities to maintain motivation and learning pace throughout the semester, while reducing the time between completing the activities and receiving feedback. An analysis of the results following the change shows that more students complete the core activities, with a decrease in dropouts from continuous assessment and an increase in the number of students passing the course. Data analysis has been validated using propensity score matching, a method for evaluating interventions with a quasi-experimental design.