Abstract:

Learning and teaching programming is impossible without understanding the solution and the algorithm(s) and knowing the programming language. This article focuses on the teaching methods and verification of acquired knowledge and skills in programming. It points out that programming is not about using a set of theoretical knowledge but about using algorithms to solve (old and new) problems, learn new skills, and re-use them to solve new non-standard problems. Therefore, solving each programming task that we used to test student’s knowledge during the exam required the creative application of theoretical knowledge and practical skills and programming experience. The tasks were defined in such a way that it is insufficient just to connect some memorised segments and fragments of apparent solution of the task, but that it is necessary to apply creative programming thinking, which is not tied to a specific programming tool, but rather to the programming paradigm used. Such exams make the write-off from the notes from the lecture or the exercises or the use of illicit resources with ready-made solutions futile. We do not use the open book system yet, but we are considering its introduction given the above. The article also speaks about the possibilities of monitoring and supervising students’ actions during the online exam using standard communication tools of the MS Teams platform.

Keywords:

Programming exams, online testing, cheating, frauds.