Using process journals to gain qualitative understanding of beginning programmers

  • Authors:
  • Gary Lewandowski

  • Affiliations:
  • Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Xavier University

  • Venue:
  • Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges
  • Year:
  • 2003

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Abstract

Process journals are informal journals kept by students as they work on a programming project. The goal in using them is to gain qualitative information about the student's problem solving and programming process. This paper presents a qualitative analysis of the journals from a data structures course, categorizing the broad themes found in the journals and the nature of the responses given by the instructor. The goal of this qualitative analysis is to answer the questions, "what sort of information do you see in a process journal and how do you use them in your course?"