Exploring the Effects of Contextualized Problem Descriptions on Problem Solving
Juho Leinonen, Paul Denny, Jacqueline Whalley
Abstract
Prior research has reported conflicting results on whether the presence of a contextualized narrative in a problem statement is a help or a hindrance to students when solving problems. On the one hand, results from psychology and mathematics seem to show that contextualized problems can be easier for students. On the other, a recent ITiCSE working group exploring the “problem description effect” found no such benefits for novice programmers.
Topics & Concepts
Problem statementNarrativeStatement (logic)Computer scienceMathematics educationPsychologyManagement scienceEpistemologyLinguisticsEconomicsPhilosophyTeaching and Learning ProgrammingInnovative Teaching and Learning MethodsEducational Games and Gamification