The Role of Metacognitive Standards in Code Comprehension

• In Event: Supporting Learners in Computing Education

Abstract

The main assumption of this study is that metacognitive standards adopted implicitly or explicitly influence processing of code while reading. Furthermore, these standards vary because of developmental differences in the ability to translate information while tracing and explaining code and of aspects of the code itself, such as the novice programmer’s goal and the presence or absence of erroneous cues and syntax errors. We support this claim by conducted a within-subjects experiment where errors are inserted within a sequence of code blocks that are evaluated by novice programmers in terms of evaluating for neither one nor another value. We discuss the implications for emerging theories of introductory programming skills acquisition and metacognitive development in novice programmers.

Authors

• Eric G. Poitras, Dalhousie University
  Presenting Author

• Brent Crane
  Non-Presenting Author

• Bridget Solomon
  Non-Presenting Author