Didactic concept to actively support different diversity dimensions in programming education.
In our field, programming education for non-computer science students (e.g., Business Informatics, Business Administration), we can observe high diversity among our students, for example, with respect to gender differences, cultural differences, differences with respect to age, educational background, or work experience. Introductory programming courses traditionally face high drop-out rates and poor performance and students often perceive learning to program as difficult. Current research on diversity in programming education has primarily focused on gender differences, thus neglecting the influence of other diversity dimensions on students’ performance.
Goal
The DiPE project addresses the challenge of supporting heterogeneous student groups in introductory programming courses. While previous approaches often focused exclusively on gender imbalances, DiPE explores a broader range of diversity dimensions—including cultural background, age, prior education, and work experience—to better understand how these factors impact student performance. Building on the COOL Informatics teaching concept (Cooperative Open Learning), the DiPE team develops a didactic framework and teaching materials designed to foster inclusion and individuality in programming education. The project adopts a design science methodology, combining systematic literature reviews, surveys, and interviews with lecturers, students, and teachers to identify student needs. The resulting concept integrates competence-based learning, distance learning, and flipped-classroom strategies to provide adaptive, learner-centered support. Additionally, DiPE collaborates with schools and teacher education centers to embed algorithmic thinking into curricula, aiming to flatten the learning curve for future university students while promoting diversity and accessibility in computing.
Results
The project successfully developed a didactic concept aimed at supporting diverse student groups in introductory programming. This framework is reinforced by teaching and learning materials, a competence model for individual learning paths, and a web-based material exchange platform. Additionally, the project created a training concept to help school teachers incorporate algorithmic and computational thinking into their curricula, ultimately smoothing the transition to university-level programming. A highlight of the project was the Girls Only IT Club, launched in the summer semester of 2022, which features tailored lesson plans and course materials that specifically encourage young girls to explore coding.
Duration
07/2020 – 03/2022
Contact
Iris Groher (Project lead)
Barbara Sabitzer (Project lead)
More information
https://research.jku.at/en/projects/dipe-closing-the-gaps-diversity-in-programming-education
Publications