Learning From Errors: Exploring the Effectiveness of Enhanced Error Messages in Learning to Program

Error messages provided by the programming environments are often cryptic and confusing to learners. This study explored the effectiveness of enhanced programming error messages (EPEMs) in a Python-based introductory programming course. Participants were two groups of middle school students. The con...

Descripción completa

Guardado en:

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales:	Zihe Zhou, Shijuan Wang, Yizhou Qian
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Frontiers Media S.A. 2021
Materias:	introductory programming learning from errors enhanced programming error messages automated assessment tools productive failures Psychology BF1-990
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/9d8b40609ec74076a484aa7e17b75b8d
Etiquetas:	Agregar Etiqueta Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!

id	oai:doaj.org-article:9d8b40609ec74076a484aa7e17b75b8d
record_format	dspace
spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:9d8b40609ec74076a484aa7e17b75b8d2021-12-01T16:29:48ZLearning From Errors: Exploring the Effectiveness of Enhanced Error Messages in Learning to Program1664-107810.3389/fpsyg.2021.768962https://doaj.org/article/9d8b40609ec74076a484aa7e17b75b8d2021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.768962/fullhttps://doaj.org/toc/1664-1078Error messages provided by the programming environments are often cryptic and confusing to learners. This study explored the effectiveness of enhanced programming error messages (EPEMs) in a Python-based introductory programming course. Participants were two groups of middle school students. The control group only received raw programming error messages (RPEMs) and had 35 students. The treatment group received EPEMs and had 33 students. During the class, students used an automated assessment tool called Mulberry to practice their programming skill. Mulberry automatically collected all the solutions students submitted when solving programming problems. Data analysis was based on 6339 student solutions collected by Mulberry. Our results showed that EPEMs did not help to reduce student errors or improve students’ performance in debugging. The ineffectiveness of EPEMs may result from reasons such as the inaccuracy of the interpreter’s error messages or students not reading the EPEMs. However, the viewpoint of productive failure may provide a better explanation of the ineffectiveness of EPEMs. The failures in coding and difficulties in debugging can be resources for learning. We recommend that researchers reconsider the role of errors in code and investigate whether and how failures and debugging contribute to the learning of programming.Zihe ZhouShijuan WangYizhou QianFrontiers Media S.A.articleintroductory programminglearning from errorsenhanced programming error messagesautomated assessment toolsproductive failuresPsychologyBF1-990ENFrontiers in Psychology, Vol 12 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	introductory programming learning from errors enhanced programming error messages automated assessment tools productive failures Psychology BF1-990
spellingShingle	introductory programming learning from errors enhanced programming error messages automated assessment tools productive failures Psychology BF1-990 Zihe Zhou Shijuan Wang Yizhou Qian Learning From Errors: Exploring the Effectiveness of Enhanced Error Messages in Learning to Program
description	Error messages provided by the programming environments are often cryptic and confusing to learners. This study explored the effectiveness of enhanced programming error messages (EPEMs) in a Python-based introductory programming course. Participants were two groups of middle school students. The control group only received raw programming error messages (RPEMs) and had 35 students. The treatment group received EPEMs and had 33 students. During the class, students used an automated assessment tool called Mulberry to practice their programming skill. Mulberry automatically collected all the solutions students submitted when solving programming problems. Data analysis was based on 6339 student solutions collected by Mulberry. Our results showed that EPEMs did not help to reduce student errors or improve students’ performance in debugging. The ineffectiveness of EPEMs may result from reasons such as the inaccuracy of the interpreter’s error messages or students not reading the EPEMs. However, the viewpoint of productive failure may provide a better explanation of the ineffectiveness of EPEMs. The failures in coding and difficulties in debugging can be resources for learning. We recommend that researchers reconsider the role of errors in code and investigate whether and how failures and debugging contribute to the learning of programming.
format	article
author	Zihe Zhou Shijuan Wang Yizhou Qian
author_facet	Zihe Zhou Shijuan Wang Yizhou Qian
author_sort	Zihe Zhou
title	Learning From Errors: Exploring the Effectiveness of Enhanced Error Messages in Learning to Program
title_short	Learning From Errors: Exploring the Effectiveness of Enhanced Error Messages in Learning to Program
title_full	Learning From Errors: Exploring the Effectiveness of Enhanced Error Messages in Learning to Program
title_fullStr	Learning From Errors: Exploring the Effectiveness of Enhanced Error Messages in Learning to Program
title_full_unstemmed	Learning From Errors: Exploring the Effectiveness of Enhanced Error Messages in Learning to Program
title_sort	learning from errors: exploring the effectiveness of enhanced error messages in learning to program
publisher	Frontiers Media S.A.
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/9d8b40609ec74076a484aa7e17b75b8d
work_keys_str_mv	AT zihezhou learningfromerrorsexploringtheeffectivenessofenhancederrormessagesinlearningtoprogram AT shijuanwang learningfromerrorsexploringtheeffectivenessofenhancederrormessagesinlearningtoprogram AT yizhouqian learningfromerrorsexploringtheeffectivenessofenhancederrormessagesinlearningtoprogram
_version_	1718404832158547968

Learning From Errors: Exploring the Effectiveness of Enhanced Error Messages in Learning to Program

Ejemplares similares