Role Playing and its Effects in a First Semester Computer Programming Course

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Published: Dec 20, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/dial.36789
Keywords:
Role-playing Group-based project Programming courses Engineering Education
Nikolaos Spanoudakis
Technical University of Crete
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4957-9194
Evaggelia Krassadaki
Technical University of Crete
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2451-3244
Abstract

This paper presents a pilot application of a team-based project development with roles assignment to develop a software application in a first-semester course offered in an engineering school that doesn’t focus on computer science and technology. The course is the Computer Programming Methodology of the School of Production Engineering and Management of the Technical University of Crete, where the first year students have a low participation in the exams, despite their participation in the lectures and laboratory sessions. To boost their confidence and provide additional learning opportunities, the teacher introduced the combination of the two teaching techniques as an extra possibility. The teams were made up of four to five people, while the assigned roles were Coordinator, Analyst, Developers (two people) and Tester. The results showed the positive relationship between role-playing group work and exam participation, while the difference in gender attitudes towards programming courses was confirmed. In addition, the analysis of the learning experience using the Kano model provided important information to the instructor about what features of the course design the students consider as desirable, or attractive, or uninteresting. Although the classification of most features as a desirable quality was more or less expected, the classification of some as an attractive or indifferent quality provided valuable feedback.

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