Abstract:

In this work, we show our experience in teaching “Introduction to Computer Science” (ICS, hereafter) in the Mathematics, Physics and Electronic Engineering degrees at the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of the Basque Country (EHU) during 2010/2011 and 2011/2012. We present a comparative study of the academic results and the opinions gathered among students when applying two active teaching/learning models in seminars and practice sessions: ProBlem-based Learning (PBL) in 2010/2011 and ProJect-based Learning (PJL) in 2011/2012.
With the introduction of new curricula in 2010/2011 (under the European Space for Higher Education initiative), EHU wanted to drive an active, cooperative and dynamic teaching-learning model named IKD. IKD invites students to become architects of their own learning through active methodologies that enhance student autonomy, involving decision making, habit formation, collaborative work, the development of thinking skills, etc.
The IKD model has been implemented for ICS in two different ways in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012. Among the active methodologies found in the literature, PBL was applied in 2010/2011. Problem statements were chosen from the common core subjects of Mathematics and Physics studied during the same course. Based on the academic results obtained in the first term of 2010/2011 (including differences in performance among students from the three degrees considered in this study) and the opinions gathered among students, we made a list of recommendations that could be implemented in upcoming courses to improve academic results as well as the student self-perception of autonomy. Following those recommendations, in the current year (2011/2012) we have implemented the PJL methodology (based on real-life mini-projects), as an attempt to improve both the experience of students and the degree of achievement of skills and competences.
In both years, two groups of lectures (which amount to one-third of the classroom activities) were defined, each using one the two official languages in the Basque Country: Spanish and Basque. In spite of this division, groups were still too crowded:

Spanish:
2010/2011: 97 students (31: Electronic Engineering, 33: Mathematics, 33: Physics)
2011/2012: 95 students (22: Electronic Engineering, 30: Mathematics, 43: Physics)

Basque:
2010/2011: 131 students (19: Electronic Engineering, 61: Mathematics, 51: Physics)
2011/2012: 118 students (16: Electronic Engineering, 55: Mathematics, 47: Physics)

This over-population left us with no exit but the traditional approach based on conference-like sessions, supported by audio-visual resources and the indispensable blackboard. In contrast, seminars and computer programming practice sessions (which amount to two thirds of the classroom activities, 25% for seminars and 75% for practices) were organized in smaller groups, so that students from different degrees were not mixed and the IKD model could be applied. For these activities, three Spanish groups (one per grade) and five Basque groups (one for Electronic Engineering, two for Mathematics and two for Physics) were defined. The active methodology of choice (PBL and PJL) was developed in teams of two or three students around the Moodle platform, which provided the necessary tools to upload/download slides, communicate, making tests, etc.