Abstraction in computer science

Leading team

• Prof. Armoni Michal

Project members

• Stater David

Summary

Abstraction is a fundamental idea of computer science. It is challenging to teach and learn and many learners demonstrate difficulties in understanding and employing abstraction.
This study examined the implementation of a framework for teaching abstraction in computer science to novices, in the context of an introductory computer science course for 7th grade students. Our findings show the effectiveness of this framework for teaching abstraction in compute science at this age levels.

Links for further reading

• Armoni, M. (2013). On teaching abstraction in computer science to novices. Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 32(3), 265-284.
• Statter, D., & Armoni. M. (2016). Teaching abstract thinking in introduction to computer science for 7th graders. In J. Vahrenhold, & E. Barendsen (Eds.) Proceedings of the 11th Workshop in Primary and Secondary Computing Education (WiPSCE2016, Münster, Germany). (pp. 80-83). New-York, NY: ACM.
• Statter, D., & Armoni. M. (2017). Learning abstraction in computer science: a gender perspective. In E. Barendsen, & P. Hubwieser (Eds.) Proceedings of the 12th Workshop in Primary and Secondary Computing Education (WiPSCE2017, Nijmegen, the Netherlands). (pp. 5-14). New-York, NY: ACM.
• Statter, D, and Armoni, M. (2020). Teaching Abstraction in Computer Science to 7th Grade Students. ACM Transactions on Computing Education, 20(1), 8:1-37.