Parsons Problems and Beyond: Systematic Literature Review and Empirical Study Designs

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openAccess

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A4 Artikkeli konferenssijulkaisussa

Date

2022-12-27

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Language

en

Pages

44
191-234

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ITiCSE-WGR 2022 - Proceedings of the 2022 Working Group Reports on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education

Abstract

Programming is a complex task that requires the development of many skills including knowledge of syntax, problem decomposition, algorithm development, and debugging. Code-writing activities are commonly used to help students develop these skills, but the difficulty of writing code from a blank page can overwhelm many novices. Parsons problems offer a simpler alternative to writing code by providing scrambled code blocks that must be placed in the correct order to solve a problem. In the 16 years since their introduction to the computing education community, an expansive body of literature has emerged that documents a range of tools, novel problem variations and makes numerous claims of benefits to learners. In this work, we track the origins of Parsons problems, outline their defining characteristics, and conduct a comprehensive review of the literature to document the evidence of benefits to learners and to identify gaps that require exploration. To facilitate future work, we design empirical studies and develop associated resources that are ready for deployment at a large scale. Collectively, this review and the provided experimental resources will serve as a focal point for researchers interested in advancing our understanding of Parsons problems and their benefits to learners.

Description

Funding Information: It should also be noted that WeBWorK, an open-source online homework system for math and science courses [216] supported by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) and the US National Science Foundation (NSF), contains a Draggable Proof problem type that supports a JavaScript-enabled collection of drag and drop statements that can be auto-graded. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 ACM.

Keywords

code puzzles, parson's problems, parson's programming puzzles, parson's puzzles, parsons problems, parsons puzzles

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Citation

Ericson, B J, Denny, P, Prather, J, Duran, R, Hellas, A, Leinonen, J, Miller, C S, Morrison, B B, Pearce, J L & Rodger, S H 2022, Parsons Problems and Beyond: Systematic Literature Review and Empirical Study Designs . in ITiCSE-WGR 2022 - Proceedings of the 2022 Working Group Reports on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education . ACM, pp. 191-234, Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education, Dublin, Ireland, 08/07/2022 . https://doi.org/10.1145/3571785.3574127