Improving computer science lab feedback methods

Abstract

In computer science programming courses such as Java, C, Python, C++, the computer science (CS) lab plays the most significant role in helping freshmen students to learn the coding for the first time. In the labs, students work on some programming assignment problems and submit them on an online platform to be graded by instructors. The labs are designed to get students hands-on coding and implement the programs on the computer. Traditionally, the grading feedback is provided after a week or more, many of which are ignored by the students. As such, in this work, a one-on-one grading feedback methodology on completion of the program in the lab was conducted. Along with feedback, instructors would ask various questions to students related to the problem to understand their knowledge, thinking process and at the same time, enhance the communication skills of students. A quantitative study of the process using survey data showed that this method had a positive impact on students without causing any additional burden on instructors.