Abstract:

Algorithmization and computer programming courses are the main parts of the curriculum for undergraduate computer science students. In the first part of this paper, we briefly summarize what algorithmic and logical thinking are. Next, we overview four types of tasks used in the survey: the task related to the execution of a given algorithm, the task associated with the analysis of an algorithm, the task associated with the development of an optimal algorithm, and the task related to problem-solving and logical thinking. For every type of task, we show an example as well. In the following part of the article, we summarize our survey conducted at J. Selye University in the academic years 2019/20 and 2021/22. The assessment involved 149 first-year and 89 second-year computer science students. In the first part of the survey, we asked our first-year students about their prior experiences in computer programming. We wanted to know how many students learned algoritmization and programming in high schools, and which programming languages they used. The next part of the survey contained 16 tasks related to algorithmizaton and programming. The results, summarized and discussed in the last part of the paper, show that only 61% of first-year undergraduate computer science students learned programming before starting their university studies. The most used programming languages in high schools were Python, C, C++, C#, and Java. The results show only slight differences in the scores of 16 tasks of first- and second-year students. The most difficult task for students was the task related to developing the optimal algorithms for given problems.

Keywords:

Algorithmic thinking, logical thinking, teaching and learning programming.