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Evaluating the Effectiveness of Parsons Problems for Block-based Programming

Authors:

Tiffany Barnes,

Thomas W. PriceAuthors Info & Claims

ICER '19: Proceedings of the 2019 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research

Pages 51 - 59

https://doi.org/10.1145/3291279.3339419

Published: 30 July 2019 Publication History

Abstract

Parsons problems are program puzzles, where students piece together code fragments to construct a program. Similar to block-based programming environments, Parsons problems eliminate the need to learn syntax. Parsons problems have been shown to improve learning efficiency when compared to writing code or fixing incorrect code in lab studies, or as part of a larger curriculum. In this study, we directly compared Parsons problems with block-based programming assignments in classroom settings. We hypothesized that Parsons problems would improve students' programming efficiency on the lab assignments where they were used, without impacting performance on the subsequent, related homework or the later programming project. Our results confirmed our hypothesis, showing that on average Parsons problems took students about half as much time to complete compared to equivalent programming problems. At the same time, we found no evidence to suggest that students performed worse on subsequent assignments, as measured by performance and time on task. The results indicate that the effectiveness of Parsons problems is not simply based on helping students avoid syntax errors. We believe this is because Parsons problems dramatically reduce the programming solution space, letting students focus on solving the problem rather than having to solve the combined problem of devising a solution, searching for needed components, and composing them together.

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Cited By

Poitras ECharles Crane BDempsey DSiegel AFarion C(2024)Programming Language Learning in K-12 EducationEmpowering STEM Educators With Digital Tools10.4018/979-8-3693-9806-7.ch010(227-260)Online publication date: 1-Nov-2024
https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-9806-7.ch010
van den Berg MHeeren BRahimi E(2024)Parsons Problems for Equivalence Proofs in LogicProceedings of the 24th Koli Calling International Conference on Computing Education Research10.1145/3699538.3699551(1-12)Online publication date: 12-Nov-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3699538.3699551
del Carpio Gutierrez ADenny PLuxton-Reilly AMonga MLonati VBarendsen ESheard JPaterson J(2024)Automating Personalized Parsons Problems with Customized Contexts and ConceptsProceedings of the 2024 on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3649217.3653568(688-694)Online publication date: 3-Jul-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3649217.3653568
Show More Cited By

Index Terms

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Parsons Problems for Block-based Programming
1. Applied computing
  1. Education
    1. Computer-assisted instruction
2. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing education
      1. Computing education programs
        Computer science education
      2. Student assessment

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cover image ACM Conferences

ICER '19: Proceedings of the 2019 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research

July 2019

375 pages

ISBN:9781450361859

DOI:10.1145/3291279

General Chairs:
Robert McCartney
University of Connecticut, USA
,
Andrew Petersen
University of Toronto Mississauga, Canada
,
Anthony Robins
University of Otago, New Zealand
,
Adon Moskal
Otago Polytechnic, New Zealand
,
Program Chairs:
Robert McCartney
University of Connecticut, USA
,
Anthony Robins
University of Otago, New Zealand

Copyright © 2019 ACM.

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Published: 30 July 2019

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National Science Foundation

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ICER '19

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SIGCSE

ICER '19: International Computing Education Research Conference

August 12 - 14, 2019

Toronto ON, Canada

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ICER '19 Paper Acceptance Rate 28 of 137 submissions, 20%;

Overall Acceptance Rate 189 of 803 submissions, 24%

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Cited By

Poitras ECharles Crane BDempsey DSiegel AFarion C(2024)Programming Language Learning in K-12 EducationEmpowering STEM Educators With Digital Tools10.4018/979-8-3693-9806-7.ch010(227-260)Online publication date: 1-Nov-2024
https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-9806-7.ch010
van den Berg MHeeren BRahimi E(2024)Parsons Problems for Equivalence Proofs in LogicProceedings of the 24th Koli Calling International Conference on Computing Education Research10.1145/3699538.3699551(1-12)Online publication date: 12-Nov-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3699538.3699551
del Carpio Gutierrez ADenny PLuxton-Reilly AMonga MLonati VBarendsen ESheard JPaterson J(2024)Automating Personalized Parsons Problems with Customized Contexts and ConceptsProceedings of the 2024 on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3649217.3653568(688-694)Online publication date: 3-Jul-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3649217.3653568
Tabarsi BReichert HLytle NCatete VBarnes T(2024)Scaffolding Novices: Analyzing When and How Parsons Problems Impact Novice Programming in an Integrated Science AssignmentProceedings of the 2024 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research - Volume 110.1145/3632620.3671110(42-54)Online publication date: 12-Aug-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3632620.3671110
Haynes-Magyar CStephenson BStone JBattestilli LRebelsky SShoop L(2024)Neurodiverse Programmers and the Accessibility of Parsons Problems: An Exploratory Multiple-Case StudyProceedings of the 55th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3626252.3630898(491-497)Online publication date: 7-Mar-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3626252.3630898
Wu ZEricson B(2024)SQL Puzzles: Evaluating Micro Parsons Problems With Different Feedbacks as Practice for NovicesProceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613904.3641910(1-15)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3613904.3641910
Ericson BPearce JRodger SCsizmadia AGarcia RGutierrez FLiaskos KPadiyath AScott MSmith DWarriem JZavaleta Bernuy ALaakso MMonga MSimon Sheard J(2023)Multi-Institutional Multi-National Studies of Parsons ProblemsProceedings of the 2023 Working Group Reports on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education10.1145/3623762.3633498(57-107)Online publication date: 22-Dec-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3623762.3633498
Ericson BPearce JRodger SCsizmadia AGarcia RGutierrez FLiaskos KPadiyath AScott MSmith DWarriem JBernuy ALaakso MMonga MSimon Sheard J(2023)Conducting Multi-Institutional Studies of Parsons ProblemsProceedings of the 2023 Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education V. 210.1145/3587103.3594211(571-572)Online publication date: 29-Jun-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3587103.3594211
Fromont FJayamanne HDenny P(2023)Exploring the Difficulty of Faded Parsons Problems for Programming EducationProceedings of the 25th Australasian Computing Education Conference10.1145/3576123.3576136(113-122)Online publication date: 30-Jan-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3576123.3576136
Kazemitabaar MChow JMa CEricson BWeintrop DGrossman T(2023)Studying the effect of AI Code Generators on Supporting Novice Learners in Introductory ProgrammingProceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3544548.3580919(1-23)Online publication date: 19-Apr-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3544548.3580919
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