Application And Results Of A Practical-Theoretical Teaching Process In The Subject Of Programming Fundamentals

Abstract

The Programming Fundamentals course, designed by Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering (BSSE) program of the Autonomous University of Ciudad Juárez (UACJ) has as its purpose "Students apply different methods and tools that allow him/her to structure algorithmically the problem solution” [1]. In the following course, Structured Programming, the student applies the problem solution through programming languages such as C and C + +, therefore, in Programming Fundamentals see the theoretical part in the problem solution development and Structured Programming part of the development of that solution in a programming language. This course has high dropout and failure rates, so the first hypothesis is that students abandon because it is a full theoretical course. For this reason some teachers have adopted to give this course in computer centers to teach in parallel using pseudo-code programs such as PSeInt [2] and in some cases C and / or C ++ language. Based on this hypothesis it was decided to apply an experiment of inverse teaching, first practice and then theory. It was decided to use PSeInt software and as a pedagogical plan of the course, the course was started with the use of this software to perform (directed) exercises in the solution of simple problems, and at the same time and gradually the teaching of the theoretical areas of programming fundamentals, as well as problems analysis. To see if the application of the inverse method has a direct and positive relationship with dropout and failure rates, the Chi-Square test distribution table (Χ2 test) will be used, taking as analysis the groups of the January-June 2020 semester and as control groups the two groups of the August-December 2019 semester. To determine the results, evolution and final evaluation of the two groups will be compared at a general level, as well as divided by gender and by educational program, since this course is offered for different degrees at the UACJ, having BSSE as the base educational program.