Redesigning Introductory Computer Programming Using Innovative Online Modules Erasmus Project

Project Title

Redesigning Introductory Computer Programming Using Innovative Online Modules

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Partnerships for Digital Education Readiness

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; ICT – new technologies – digital competences; Pedagogy and didactics

Project Summary

Background and Project Goal
The Covid-19 Pandemic enforced the education system to change radically. Almost all universities worldwide were suddenly forced to shift all their education to virtual learning in response to the pandemic. Support for lecturers’ professional development is crucial, and course design is even more critical than in traditional education settings. Online teaching brings major challenges to faculty members. And one of the most significant is the numerous complexities involved in moving a face-to-face course into the online platforms. On the other hand, research shows that 91% of the university’s lecturers were unwilling to teach online.

Many academic institutions that are reluctant to change their traditional pedagogical approach have no choice but to move entirely to online teaching-learning. But since the traditional education system mostly prevails in many European countries, teachers and students in online education have problems, especially for engineering departments, due to dense curriculum on hand-zone and practical lessons. Other problems center around the experience in online teaching/learning, students’ collaboration, lack of support from lecturers, the complexity of materials provided, and inappropriate homework environment. These facts reduce satisfaction and enthusiasm for both students and educators. Therefore, compliance with online lectures with existing curricula related to engineering studies is highly necessary.

Our effort focuses on Computer Programming and Algorithms lecture that is a core element for all engineering disciplines in this project. Computer Programming and Algorithms is a complicated course to teach and learn. It is now even more difficult on online platforms. Today, Industry 4.0 and 5.0 topics are emerging fields and have rising demand during the pandemic period. The increasing interest in artificial intelligence and machine learning applications is closely related to them. Under current circumstances, online Computer Programming and Algorithms courses must be addressed with innovative solutions to support this level with well-educated professionals. In this project, teachers will be trained to overcome online education challenges while preparing adequate course material suits to common “Computer Programming and Algorithms” lectures. In this way, we design appropriate online teaching methods for this lecture and integrate them with online technologies to improve students’ learning motivation and interest, maintain students’ concentration, and enhance students’ learning.

Objectives are Planned to be Achieved within the Scope of the Project:
Our objective here is to develop a well-structured online teaching method for computer programming and algorithms related courses. For this purpose, educators will get trained on online education pedagogies and didactics to face challenges with the lack of student satisfaction. Adaptation of online pedagogy and educational materials for this course will be one that emphasizes student-centered learning and employs active learning activities. This new course materials will be able to implement for both online & hybrid educational systems.
In particular, the project aims at persuading educators to amalgamate immersive technologies in online educational programs while developing their pedagogical knowledge to boost student’s willingness to moreover involvement.

Expected Outputs upon the Project Completion:
1. Improving lecturers’ role with required knowledge, skills, teaching methods, and techniques to deliver efficient online classes
2. Effective pedagogical practices for online teaching perception of experienced instructors.
3. Formulating sustainable curriculum implementation for both hybrid and online education
4. Integrating new online course materials with gamification techniques to the “Computer Programming and Algorithms” curriculum helps students attend online.
5. Developing synchronous and asynchronous methodologies to deliver online “Computer Programming and Algorithms” courses effectively.
6. Developing offline video content for students who have limited internet connections.
7. Developing course materials with a new curriculum to deliver better online “Computer Programming and Algorithms” lessons.

Project Main Activities

1- Intellectual Outputs
– Guidebook: Online/Hybrid Teaching Practices for Effective Programming Classes
– Curriculum Development for Online/Hybrid Computer Programming and Algorithm
– Web-platform and Mobile App for Programming Courses
– Gamified Interactive Video Tutorials
– Gamified E-Quizzes and Case Studies

2. Multiplier Events:
– Local Multiplier Events in each Project Partner Country about Redesigning Interactive Online/Hybrid Computer Programming with Gamification Techniques

3. Learning, Teaching, and Traning:
– Intensive Pedagogic Training on (A)Synchronous Online and Hybrid Education, and Gamification Basics
– Intensive Online/Hybrid Programming Course for Engineering

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 248497 Eur

Project Coordinator

YILDIZ TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY & Country: TR

Project Partners

• BURGASKI SVOBODEN UNIVERSITET
• Karabuk University
• BOARD OF EUROPEAN STUDENTS OF TECHNOLOGY
• UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PALERMO
• TALLINN UNIVERSITY
• UNIVERZA V LJUBLJANI