Glenda Coates Barlow-Jones | University of Johannesburg, South Africa (original) (raw)

Papers by Glenda Coates Barlow-Jones

Educational Studies, 2011

The modern world is becoming increasingly digitalised and this is affecting the way in which huma... more The modern world is becoming increasingly digitalised and this is affecting the way in which humans not only live but also learn. In South Africa, the majority of students entering universities are from disadvantaged backgrounds and come from schools and communities in which they were not exposed to the same technologically rich environments as perhaps that of their fellow students. The digital literacy level at which all students enter university is thus different; yet on entering their first year of study, students from disadvantaged ...

Educational Studies, Jan 1, 2011

The modern world is becoming increasingly digitalised and this is affecting the way in which huma... more The modern world is becoming increasingly digitalised and this is affecting the way in which humans not only live but also learn. In South Africa, the majority of students entering universities are from disadvantaged backgrounds and come from schools and communities in which they were not exposed to the same technologically rich environments as perhaps that of their fellow students. The digital literacy level at which all students enter university is thus different; yet on entering their first year of study, students from disadvantaged ...

The majority of students entering the University of Johannesburg in South Africa come from school... more The majority of students entering the University of Johannesburg in South Africa come from schools and communities which do not enjoy the same technologically rich environments as that of their counterparts, yet on entering their first year of studies, they are expected by lecturers to perform at the same level as those from advantaged backgrounds.

The wide range of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) experience that first year stude... more The wide range of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) experience that first year students bring to an Information Technology (IT) qualification can present a challenge to lecturers. The perception exists that students with prior ICT experience have an advantage when enrolling for an IT qualification. The majority of South African university students enrolling for an IT qualification originate from a government-based education system where teachers are mainly computer illiterate and computer facilities are not available. This means that many students do not have exposure to computers at school and do not have the opportunity to select the school subjects Information Technology (IT) or Computer Applications Technology (CAT) for the last three years of their schooling. In this paper, the relationship between students’ Grade 12 computer results and their academic performance in their programming module is investigated. The results show a moderate positive correlation between ...

The world is becoming increasingly digital and this is affecting the way in which we learn and li... more The world is becoming increasingly digital and this is affecting the way in which we learn and live. Learners who do not have access to technology and are unable to make use of technological resources are thus at a distinct disadvantage. Many South African school-leaving students who enroll for an ICT course at a university in South Africa struggle to bridge the gap between secondary and tertiary level. This results in a number of students failing to pass ICT courses at tertiary level. In this study, 266 students were asked about their access to and use of technology. Data was collected from 91 first year students enrolled for an ICT course at a university in South Africa in 2012 and then compared to 175 students who completed the same survey in 2008. The results portrayed varying levels of access to and use of most technology. Although digital literacy has improved over the last 4 years it is still not optimal. To this end, a teaching-and-learning intervention may be necessary to r...

The wide range of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) experience that first year stude... more The wide range of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) experience that first year students bring to an Information Technology (IT) qualification can present a challenge to lecturers. The perception exists that students with prior ICT experience have an advantage when enrolling for an IT qualification. The majority of South African university students enrolling for an IT qualification originate from a government-based education system where teachers are mainly computer illiterate and computer facilities are not available. This means that many students do not have exposure to computers at school and do not have the opportunity to select the school subjects Information Technology (IT) or Computer Applications Technology (CAT) for the last three years of their schooling. In this paper, the relationship between students’ Grade 12 computer results and their academic performance in their programming module is investigated. The results show a moderate positive correlation between ...

In order to develop computer programmings skills: critical thought, problem solving, attention to... more In order to develop computer programmings skills: critical thought, problem solving, attention to detail, accuracy and abstract thinking are required. Unfortunately, many novice students at universities within South Africa have not developed such skills in
their formative years. This is often due to the fact that many of them have been part of a schooling system that does not teach
students how to think critically or how to solve problems. Consequently, they find it difficult to acquire these skills at a postsecondary
level and they are often at risk of failing computer programming modules. Furthermore, traditional pedagogies used at post-secondary level often do not provide an opportunity for students to develop the skills needed to write programs. Such pedagogies are often teacher-centric, which do not encourage students to develop critical thinking. This paper aims to demonstrate that adopting an alternative pedagogy, namely social constructivism, can assist students in cultivating the skills needed for computer programming. The pedagogy was applied only to students who were at risk of failing a computer programming module. It encouraged a student-centred environment, where active learning, student collaboration and metacognition were promoted. The data clearly indicates that adopting such pedagogy provides an opportunity for students to improve their computer programing skills

Abstract: It is well documented in the literature that computer programming modules in higher ed... more Abstract: It is well documented in the literature that computer programming modules in higher education institutions are characterised by low success rates. Several reasons could be attributed to this situation, from the difficulty of the subject itself to the lack of problem solving abilities of the students. This paper reports on a study which was conducted at a South African university to determine, the extent to which students’ Grade 12 mathematics results, can predict the success of first-year students enrolled for a programming module in an ICT course.

Research indicates that there are numerous factors that influence teaching-and-learning. One such... more Research indicates that there are numerous factors that influence teaching-and-learning. One such factor is the notion of pedagogical practice as they are still powerful determinants regarding the success of students. However, in spite of this claim, research suggests that pedagogy often fails to provide a teaching-and-learning vehicle.
To improve learning, educators at a HEI in Johannesburg, South Africa incorporated a pedagogical approach that includes the notion of social spaces in combination with collaborative learning. The focus was the development of a consolidated tutoring system for first year subjects. Using a design-based research (DBR) approach we designed the consolidated tutoring system and evaluated the effects thereof for students enrolled for a National Diploma in Information Technology (ND IT). We then compared the effects to the previous year when a consolidated tutoring system had not been implemented. We found that deploying a consolidated tutoring system had positive and negative effects on learning

ABSTRACT In this study, the assumption that good performance in mathematics in the final school y... more ABSTRACT
In this study, the assumption that good performance in mathematics in the final school year could be
used as a pre-entry requirement to programming courses at universities in South Africa, is challenged.
The extant literature reports positive relationships between mathematics performance and success in
programming courses. As computer programming modules in higher education institutions (HEIs) are
typically characterised by low success rates, it becomes important to eliminate potentially erroneous
entry requirements. The low success rate in programming modules is ascribed to the abstract nature and
content of programming courses, and the inadequacy of pre-university education to prepare students for
the cognitive skills required for success in such programmes. This paper reports on a single independent
variable, ‘performance in high school mathematics’, and its relationship to performance in two computer
programming courses. The dataset comprised the school marks of four cohorts of students who were
enrolled for the programming modules between 2012 and 2015. Firstly, we computed the point-biserial
correlation between a dichotomous variable that indicated whether students had mathematics as a subject
in Grade 12 or not, and their performance in the programming modules. Once we established that a
relationship existed, the marks achieved in the final school year for mathematics, and performance in two
programming modules were correlated. Results indicated that the school mathematics marks correlate only
marginally, and that correlations were not significant, with performance in the two programming courses.
We also correlated the school mathematical literacy marks with performance in the two programming
courses, and found that a strong positive correlation that was significant existed with the second semester
programming course. We conclude that the mark achieved for school mathematics cannot be considered
as a valid admission criterion for programming courses in the South African context.1

Computer programming is a subject that many students find challenging to learn. In spite of much ... more Computer programming is a subject that many students find challenging to learn. In spite of much research concerning such challenges, there is still uncertainty regarding which pedagogical approaches are best suited to teaching-and-learning novice students’ computer programming. However, research indicates that “learning on the edge of what we know” does provide an opportunity for novice students to link a learnt concept to other unfamiliar yet similar concepts. In other words, learning is transferred from one context to another when the contexts are closely related, also known as mediated transfer. However, in spite of utilizing such techniques learning is also a function of time, not ability, and given time it is possible for novice students to overcome barriers related to computer programming. This paper illustrates that given time and providing students with an opportunity to learn on the edge of what they know, novice students are able to learn the fundamental concepts of computer programming

The objective of computer programmingis thatstudentslearn how to develop solutions in computer pr... more The objective of computer programmingis thatstudentslearn how to develop solutions in computer programing languages, such as Java. However, to develop such solutions students need to be able to solve problems. Therefore,problem solving is a critical skill that needs to be acquired. As problem solving and computer programming is difficult, universities worldwide make use of interactive tools, such as Scratch, Alice and Greenfoot to provide a user-friendly, visual andcomfortable computerprogramming environment. The aim of such tools is for students to develop computer programming concepts informally. However,if students are to become competent computer programmers, theymusttransfer the programming concepts learnt from such tools, to formalised computer programming languages.This paperexaminesthe extent to which mediated transfer is an effective pedagogy to transition students. The results indicate that the transition may not be as seamless as was first expected.

AACE, Jun 2012

Computer programming courses require unique skills. Unfortunately, many novice students at the Un... more Computer programming courses require unique skills. Unfortunately, many novice students at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa have not developed such skills in their formative years. Consequently, they find it difficult to acquire these skills at a post-secondary level, and they are often at risk of failing computer programming courses. Furthermore, traditional pedagogies often do not provide an opportunity for students to develop the skills needed to write programs. This paper aims to demonstrate that adopting an alternative pedagogy, based on social constructivism, can assist students in cultivating these skills. The pedagogy was applied only to students who were at risk of failing a computer programming course. The pedagogy encouraged a learner-centered environment, where active learning and student collaboration was promoted. The data clearly indicates that adopting such pedagogy improved these students computer programming skills

AACE, Jun 2011

"The majority of students entering the University of Johannesburg in South Africa come from schoo... more "The majority of students entering the University of Johannesburg in South Africa come from schools and communities that are technologically ‘disadvantaged’ yet, on entering their first year of university studies, are expected to perform as students from advantaged backgrounds. A mixed methods design was used to illuminate the factors of digital literacy as they influence the students’ likelihood to succeed in Information Technology modules. The data that were collected were brought in relation to the students’ final results for the subject Information Systems 1 Module A (Computer Concepts). It emerged that the digitally literate students performed significantly better compared to digitally disadvantaged students. The lack of computer and digital experience influenced students’ ability to pass computer related subjects. However, it was not the only limiting factor, as socio-economic factors also played a role.

"

Educational Studies, Jul 2011

To cite this Article Barlow-Jones, Glenda and van der Westhuizen, Duan(2011) 'Situating the stude... more To cite this Article Barlow-Jones, Glenda and van der Westhuizen, Duan(2011) 'Situating the student: factors contributing to success in an Information Technology course', Educational Studies, 37: 3, 303 -320,

Educational Studies, 2011

The modern world is becoming increasingly digitalised and this is affecting the way in which huma... more The modern world is becoming increasingly digitalised and this is affecting the way in which humans not only live but also learn. In South Africa, the majority of students entering universities are from disadvantaged backgrounds and come from schools and communities in which they were not exposed to the same technologically rich environments as perhaps that of their fellow students. The digital literacy level at which all students enter university is thus different; yet on entering their first year of study, students from disadvantaged ...

Educational Studies, Jan 1, 2011

The modern world is becoming increasingly digitalised and this is affecting the way in which huma... more The modern world is becoming increasingly digitalised and this is affecting the way in which humans not only live but also learn. In South Africa, the majority of students entering universities are from disadvantaged backgrounds and come from schools and communities in which they were not exposed to the same technologically rich environments as perhaps that of their fellow students. The digital literacy level at which all students enter university is thus different; yet on entering their first year of study, students from disadvantaged ...

The majority of students entering the University of Johannesburg in South Africa come from school... more The majority of students entering the University of Johannesburg in South Africa come from schools and communities which do not enjoy the same technologically rich environments as that of their counterparts, yet on entering their first year of studies, they are expected by lecturers to perform at the same level as those from advantaged backgrounds.

The wide range of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) experience that first year stude... more The wide range of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) experience that first year students bring to an Information Technology (IT) qualification can present a challenge to lecturers. The perception exists that students with prior ICT experience have an advantage when enrolling for an IT qualification. The majority of South African university students enrolling for an IT qualification originate from a government-based education system where teachers are mainly computer illiterate and computer facilities are not available. This means that many students do not have exposure to computers at school and do not have the opportunity to select the school subjects Information Technology (IT) or Computer Applications Technology (CAT) for the last three years of their schooling. In this paper, the relationship between students’ Grade 12 computer results and their academic performance in their programming module is investigated. The results show a moderate positive correlation between ...

The world is becoming increasingly digital and this is affecting the way in which we learn and li... more The world is becoming increasingly digital and this is affecting the way in which we learn and live. Learners who do not have access to technology and are unable to make use of technological resources are thus at a distinct disadvantage. Many South African school-leaving students who enroll for an ICT course at a university in South Africa struggle to bridge the gap between secondary and tertiary level. This results in a number of students failing to pass ICT courses at tertiary level. In this study, 266 students were asked about their access to and use of technology. Data was collected from 91 first year students enrolled for an ICT course at a university in South Africa in 2012 and then compared to 175 students who completed the same survey in 2008. The results portrayed varying levels of access to and use of most technology. Although digital literacy has improved over the last 4 years it is still not optimal. To this end, a teaching-and-learning intervention may be necessary to r...

The wide range of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) experience that first year stude... more The wide range of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) experience that first year students bring to an Information Technology (IT) qualification can present a challenge to lecturers. The perception exists that students with prior ICT experience have an advantage when enrolling for an IT qualification. The majority of South African university students enrolling for an IT qualification originate from a government-based education system where teachers are mainly computer illiterate and computer facilities are not available. This means that many students do not have exposure to computers at school and do not have the opportunity to select the school subjects Information Technology (IT) or Computer Applications Technology (CAT) for the last three years of their schooling. In this paper, the relationship between students’ Grade 12 computer results and their academic performance in their programming module is investigated. The results show a moderate positive correlation between ...

In order to develop computer programmings skills: critical thought, problem solving, attention to... more In order to develop computer programmings skills: critical thought, problem solving, attention to detail, accuracy and abstract thinking are required. Unfortunately, many novice students at universities within South Africa have not developed such skills in
their formative years. This is often due to the fact that many of them have been part of a schooling system that does not teach
students how to think critically or how to solve problems. Consequently, they find it difficult to acquire these skills at a postsecondary
level and they are often at risk of failing computer programming modules. Furthermore, traditional pedagogies used at post-secondary level often do not provide an opportunity for students to develop the skills needed to write programs. Such pedagogies are often teacher-centric, which do not encourage students to develop critical thinking. This paper aims to demonstrate that adopting an alternative pedagogy, namely social constructivism, can assist students in cultivating the skills needed for computer programming. The pedagogy was applied only to students who were at risk of failing a computer programming module. It encouraged a student-centred environment, where active learning, student collaboration and metacognition were promoted. The data clearly indicates that adopting such pedagogy provides an opportunity for students to improve their computer programing skills

Abstract: It is well documented in the literature that computer programming modules in higher ed... more Abstract: It is well documented in the literature that computer programming modules in higher education institutions are characterised by low success rates. Several reasons could be attributed to this situation, from the difficulty of the subject itself to the lack of problem solving abilities of the students. This paper reports on a study which was conducted at a South African university to determine, the extent to which students’ Grade 12 mathematics results, can predict the success of first-year students enrolled for a programming module in an ICT course.

Research indicates that there are numerous factors that influence teaching-and-learning. One such... more Research indicates that there are numerous factors that influence teaching-and-learning. One such factor is the notion of pedagogical practice as they are still powerful determinants regarding the success of students. However, in spite of this claim, research suggests that pedagogy often fails to provide a teaching-and-learning vehicle.
To improve learning, educators at a HEI in Johannesburg, South Africa incorporated a pedagogical approach that includes the notion of social spaces in combination with collaborative learning. The focus was the development of a consolidated tutoring system for first year subjects. Using a design-based research (DBR) approach we designed the consolidated tutoring system and evaluated the effects thereof for students enrolled for a National Diploma in Information Technology (ND IT). We then compared the effects to the previous year when a consolidated tutoring system had not been implemented. We found that deploying a consolidated tutoring system had positive and negative effects on learning

ABSTRACT In this study, the assumption that good performance in mathematics in the final school y... more ABSTRACT
In this study, the assumption that good performance in mathematics in the final school year could be
used as a pre-entry requirement to programming courses at universities in South Africa, is challenged.
The extant literature reports positive relationships between mathematics performance and success in
programming courses. As computer programming modules in higher education institutions (HEIs) are
typically characterised by low success rates, it becomes important to eliminate potentially erroneous
entry requirements. The low success rate in programming modules is ascribed to the abstract nature and
content of programming courses, and the inadequacy of pre-university education to prepare students for
the cognitive skills required for success in such programmes. This paper reports on a single independent
variable, ‘performance in high school mathematics’, and its relationship to performance in two computer
programming courses. The dataset comprised the school marks of four cohorts of students who were
enrolled for the programming modules between 2012 and 2015. Firstly, we computed the point-biserial
correlation between a dichotomous variable that indicated whether students had mathematics as a subject
in Grade 12 or not, and their performance in the programming modules. Once we established that a
relationship existed, the marks achieved in the final school year for mathematics, and performance in two
programming modules were correlated. Results indicated that the school mathematics marks correlate only
marginally, and that correlations were not significant, with performance in the two programming courses.
We also correlated the school mathematical literacy marks with performance in the two programming
courses, and found that a strong positive correlation that was significant existed with the second semester
programming course. We conclude that the mark achieved for school mathematics cannot be considered
as a valid admission criterion for programming courses in the South African context.1

Computer programming is a subject that many students find challenging to learn. In spite of much ... more Computer programming is a subject that many students find challenging to learn. In spite of much research concerning such challenges, there is still uncertainty regarding which pedagogical approaches are best suited to teaching-and-learning novice students’ computer programming. However, research indicates that “learning on the edge of what we know” does provide an opportunity for novice students to link a learnt concept to other unfamiliar yet similar concepts. In other words, learning is transferred from one context to another when the contexts are closely related, also known as mediated transfer. However, in spite of utilizing such techniques learning is also a function of time, not ability, and given time it is possible for novice students to overcome barriers related to computer programming. This paper illustrates that given time and providing students with an opportunity to learn on the edge of what they know, novice students are able to learn the fundamental concepts of computer programming

The objective of computer programmingis thatstudentslearn how to develop solutions in computer pr... more The objective of computer programmingis thatstudentslearn how to develop solutions in computer programing languages, such as Java. However, to develop such solutions students need to be able to solve problems. Therefore,problem solving is a critical skill that needs to be acquired. As problem solving and computer programming is difficult, universities worldwide make use of interactive tools, such as Scratch, Alice and Greenfoot to provide a user-friendly, visual andcomfortable computerprogramming environment. The aim of such tools is for students to develop computer programming concepts informally. However,if students are to become competent computer programmers, theymusttransfer the programming concepts learnt from such tools, to formalised computer programming languages.This paperexaminesthe extent to which mediated transfer is an effective pedagogy to transition students. The results indicate that the transition may not be as seamless as was first expected.

AACE, Jun 2012

Computer programming courses require unique skills. Unfortunately, many novice students at the Un... more Computer programming courses require unique skills. Unfortunately, many novice students at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa have not developed such skills in their formative years. Consequently, they find it difficult to acquire these skills at a post-secondary level, and they are often at risk of failing computer programming courses. Furthermore, traditional pedagogies often do not provide an opportunity for students to develop the skills needed to write programs. This paper aims to demonstrate that adopting an alternative pedagogy, based on social constructivism, can assist students in cultivating these skills. The pedagogy was applied only to students who were at risk of failing a computer programming course. The pedagogy encouraged a learner-centered environment, where active learning and student collaboration was promoted. The data clearly indicates that adopting such pedagogy improved these students computer programming skills

AACE, Jun 2011

"The majority of students entering the University of Johannesburg in South Africa come from schoo... more "The majority of students entering the University of Johannesburg in South Africa come from schools and communities that are technologically ‘disadvantaged’ yet, on entering their first year of university studies, are expected to perform as students from advantaged backgrounds. A mixed methods design was used to illuminate the factors of digital literacy as they influence the students’ likelihood to succeed in Information Technology modules. The data that were collected were brought in relation to the students’ final results for the subject Information Systems 1 Module A (Computer Concepts). It emerged that the digitally literate students performed significantly better compared to digitally disadvantaged students. The lack of computer and digital experience influenced students’ ability to pass computer related subjects. However, it was not the only limiting factor, as socio-economic factors also played a role.

"

Educational Studies, Jul 2011

To cite this Article Barlow-Jones, Glenda and van der Westhuizen, Duan(2011) 'Situating the stude... more To cite this Article Barlow-Jones, Glenda and van der Westhuizen, Duan(2011) 'Situating the student: factors contributing to success in an Information Technology course', Educational Studies, 37: 3, 303 -320,