Studying the Problem-solving Strategies in the Early Stages of Learning Programming

Computer science and engineering undergraduates must develop problem-solving skills, which are particularly important when solving programming problems which use simple algorithms. Ideally these skills are developed in the early stages of learning programming, in particular during the first weeks or months of a student's first course. For complete beginners, problem solving and logical thinking are key to the development of programming skills. This article presents an initial proposal for a study of complete beginner programmers, i.e. students with no prior formal experience of programming. This research is particularly focused on the period in which students learn basic programming concepts to solve problems. The investigation will include the study and analysis of students’ interactions with tools and systems during the problem solving process. Data mining techniques will be used to uncover underlying patterns in the interactions. The goal is to exploit these patterns to enhance tutors’ teaching processes.