Mini-Projects Development in Computer Science - Students' Use of Organization Tools

• Main Authors: Zahava SCHERZ, Bruria HABERMAN
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vilnius University 2005-10-01
• Series: Informatics in Education
• Subjects: abstract data types; mini-projects in computer science; project organization tools; logic programming in education
• Online Access: http://www.mii.lt/informatics_in_education/pdf/INFE064.pdf

This paper describes a study aimed at identifying different profiles of students' project development processes. Specifically, we assessed the use of abstract data types for the development of knowledge-based projects. The concept of abstract data types was introduced to high school students who took the course ``Computer Science-Logic Programming''. During their studies the students learned and practiced various tools and methods of project development, one of which was based on the use of abstract data types as tools for problem solving and knowledge representation. To this end, a one-day workshop for team development of mini-projects was organized, and the whole development process was audio and video documented, categorized and analyzed. The profiles of team behavior in the project development process were specified. The analysis of the profiles resulted in identifying four types of project development teams, all of which employed some organizing tool in developing their projects. Two types of the developing teams used abstract data types and two used other methods. The findings indicated that the process of project development of those who used abstract data types was more structured and more organized than others.