research-article

Expert code review and mastery learning in a software development course

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Sophie Engle,

Sami RollinsAuthors Info & Claims

Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges, Volume 28, Issue 4

Pages 139 - 147

Published: 01 April 2013 Publication History

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Abstract

For students to be successful in upper-division courses and as junior developers, they must master concepts such as code design and concurrency. However, traditional grading and partial credit often allows students to pass courses without demonstrating appropriate mastery. This paper reports on our experience applying mastery learning and expert code review to our software development course. We compare two consecutive semesters of this course---one using a traditional approach and the other using mastery learning and expert code review. We discuss our experience setting student expectations, the differences in grades and code quality between the semesters, and provide recommendations on how to improve and adapt this approach for other courses.

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Cited By

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Toti GChen GDorodchi MZhange MCooper S(2024)Teaching CS1 with a Mastery Learning Framework: Changes in CS2 Results and Students' SatisfactionProceedings of the 2024 on ACM Virtual Global Computing Education Conference V. 110.1145/3649165.3690105(221-227)Online publication date: 5-Dec-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3649165.3690105
Toti GChen GGonzalez SLaakso MMonga MSimon Sheard J(2023)Teaching CS1 with a Mastery Learning Framework: Impact on Students' Learning and EngagementProceedings of the 2023 Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3587102.3588844(540-546)Online publication date: 29-Jun-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3587102.3588844
Bridson KFleming SSherriff MMerkle LCutter PMonge ASheard J(2021)Frequent, Timed Coding Tests for Training and Assessment of Full-Stack Web Development SkillsProceedings of the 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education10.1145/3408877.3432549(24-30)Online publication date: 3-Mar-2021
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3408877.3432549
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Expert code review and mastery learning in a software development course

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cover image Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges

Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges Volume 28, Issue 4

April 2013

157 pages

ISSN:1937-4771

EISSN:1937-4763

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Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges

Evansville, IN, United States

Publication History

Published: 01 April 2013

Published in JCSC Volume 28, Issue 4

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Toti GChen GDorodchi MZhange MCooper S(2024)Teaching CS1 with a Mastery Learning Framework: Changes in CS2 Results and Students' SatisfactionProceedings of the 2024 on ACM Virtual Global Computing Education Conference V. 110.1145/3649165.3690105(221-227)Online publication date: 5-Dec-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3649165.3690105
Toti GChen GGonzalez SLaakso MMonga MSimon Sheard J(2023)Teaching CS1 with a Mastery Learning Framework: Impact on Students' Learning and EngagementProceedings of the 2023 Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3587102.3588844(540-546)Online publication date: 29-Jun-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3587102.3588844
Bridson KFleming SSherriff MMerkle LCutter PMonge ASheard J(2021)Frequent, Timed Coding Tests for Training and Assessment of Full-Stack Web Development SkillsProceedings of the 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education10.1145/3408877.3432549(24-30)Online publication date: 3-Mar-2021
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3408877.3432549
Campbell JPetersen ASmith JHawthorne EPérez-Quiñones MHeckman SZhang J(2019)Self-paced Mastery Learning CS1Proceedings of the 50th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education10.1145/3287324.3287481(955-961)Online publication date: 22-Feb-2019
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3287324.3287481
Garner JDenny PLuxton-Reilly ASimon Luxton-Reilly A(2019)Mastery Learning in Computer Science EducationProceedings of the Twenty-First Australasian Computing Education Conference10.1145/3286960.3286965(37-46)Online publication date: 29-Jan-2019
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3286960.3286965
Baniassad ECampbell AAllidina TOrd ABeecham SDamian D(2019)Teaching software construction at scale with mastery learningProceedings of the 41st International Conference on Software Engineering: Software Engineering Education and Training10.1109/ICSE-SEET.2019.00027(182-191)Online publication date: 27-May-2019
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1109/ICSE-SEET.2019.00027
Luxton-Reilly ABecker BCao YMcDermott RMirolo CMühling APetersen ASanders KSimon Whalley JSheard JKorhonen A(2018)Developing Assessments to Determine Mastery of Programming FundamentalsProceedings of the 2017 ITiCSE Conference on Working Group Reports10.1145/3174781.3174784(47-69)Online publication date: 30-Jan-2018
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3174781.3174784
McCane BOtt CMeek NRobins A(2017)Mastery Learning in Introductory ProgrammingProceedings of the Nineteenth Australasian Computing Education Conference10.1145/3013499.3013501(1-10)Online publication date: 31-Jan-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3013499.3013501

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Recommendations

Contract grading with mastery learning in CS 1

Learning time variability in a military technical course taught by mastery-based computer-assisted instruction

A comparison study of computer-assisted instruction using interactive software versus traditional instruction in a college precalculus course