2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Apples or Oranges: A Step Back in Time to Understand Which Programming Language is for Novice Programmers

Presented at Computing and Information Technology Division (CIT) Technical Session 1

In this work-in-progress paper, the emphasis is to understand the perceptions about which language should be the first programming language. Computer programming is a fundamental skill for novice engineers. However, over time, multiple programming languages have emerged and are being used as the first language for students. While in modern times, many schools around the globe, particularly in the USA, consider Python’s syntax simplicity and versatility as a way to go, other places and traditional computer scientists consider C++’s efficiency as their choice. Similarly, many engineering schools introduce MATLAB as the first programming language. While these decisions are made at the university or departmental level, novice programmers, when they begin programming, are affected by this choice in more than one way as it helps them not only understand how to program but also carve the path for their future choices on kind of programs they will pursue (e.g., web applications, machine learning, or embedded systems). To understand which programming language may be relevant today, especially with the boom of AI technologies, we are taking a step backward to collect perceptions on which language may be suitable. For this purpose, using an open-ended questionnaire, we collected the data from 22 members of the instructional team (8 faculty members, 14 peer mentors/undergraduate teaching assistants) in a large R1 Southeastern university. More specifically, this paper answers the question: Which computer programming language should be introduced first to novice programmers? The paper’s results are novel as they provide comparative insights into the viewpoints of faculty and peer mentors.

Keywords: programming language, novice programmers, language choice, faculty perspective, students’ perspective

Authors

Kwansun Cho University of Florida [biography]

Kwansun Cho is an Instructional Assistant Professor of the Department of Engineering Education, in the UF Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. She has been teaching introductory computer programming courses for engineers. She holds two Masters’ degrees in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Florida and Yonsei University, specializing in speech signal processing. Her educational research interests include improved flipped classroom teaching/learning for students, and computer- or web-assisted personalized learning.
Mr. Umer Farooq Texas A&M University [biography]

Umer Farooq is a Ph.D. student in the Multidisciplinary Engineering Department at Texas A&M University, with a focus on Engineering Education. Umer is part of the Learning Enhancement and Applications Development Lab (LEAD Lab). Umer contributes to research initiatives centered on educational, instructional, and workforce development in the manufacturing sector. His efforts align with the mission of the Texas A&M University Gulf Coast Center of Excellence (GCCoE), where he collaborates on diverse projects aimed at enhancing learning experiences for students, trainees, and professionals.
Dr. Saira Anwar http://orcid.org/https://0000-0001-6947-3226 Texas A&M University [biography]

Saira Anwar is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Multidisciplinary Engineering, Texas A and M University, College Station. She received her Ph.D. in Engineering Education from the School of Engineering Education, Purdue University, USA. The Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, and industry sponsors fund her research. Her research potential and the implication of her work are recognized through national and international awards, including the 2023 NSTA/NARST Research Worth Reading award for her publication in the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 2023 New Faculty Fellow award by IEEE ASEE Frontiers in Education Conference, 2022 Apprentice Faculty Grant award by the ERM Division, ASEE, and 2020 outstanding researcher award by the School of Engineering Education, Purdue University. Dr. Anwar has over 20 years of teaching experience at various national and international universities, including the Texas A and M University - USA, University of Florida - USA, and Forman Christian College University - Pakistan. She also received outstanding teacher awards in 2013 and 2006. Also she received the "President of Pakistan Merit and Talent Scholarship" for her undergraduate studies.

Download paper (1.83 MB)

Are you a researcher? Would you like to cite this paper? Visit the ASEE document repository at peer.asee.org for more tools and easy citations.

» Download paper

« View session