A remote CS0 workshop based on peer learning: Motivation, engagement and self-regulation of novice programmers

ABSTRACT

Undergraduate computing programs usually have high failure and dropout rates in the CS1 courses due to the variety of concepts, models and strategies related to programming to be learned in a short time span. This paper presents an experience of a CS0 remote workshop, planned and led by peers, with the goal of teaching introductory programming in Python to first-year Computer Engineering undergraduates. The workshop happened during the Covid-19 pandemic and took advantage of calendar postponements to offer a 12-week remote experience. From the data collected, we perceived high student motivation, medium to high engagement and medium self-regulation both in general and in programming issues. Analysis of the experience suggests that, after the workshop, students have positive perceptions of their own non-cognitive issues, in addition to feeling prepared to learn programming in the CS1 course. Peer learning allowed novice students to reduce barriers to learning, and to feel closer to their field of knowledge. To the senior students who led the workshop, it allowed them to mediate the learning process, to collectively build knowledge, and to learn while teaching. © 2021 IEEE.