An Innovative Approach to Teaching Computer Programming to Undergraduate Computing Student Based on Lonergan’s Theory

There has been much research into bestpractices in teaching computer programming and into newand innovative module design and curricula. Howeverstudents’ results and interests do not reflect this effort andretention rates in computer engineering class are still lowin comparison to other subjects. This paper presents aframework for problem solving amongst undergraduatecomputing students. It evaluates the contributions thatLonergan’s (1957) ‘Insight: A study of HumanUnderstanding’ to develop a program to assist computingstudents in the problem-solving process. By creating theenvironment and utilizing resources and skills, we envisageenabling students befriend the technology and visualize theabstract program, in order to develop the solution. In thismethod, a theoretical approach is firstly made of eachtopic to be learned and certain mental structures arespecified. It is proposed that if a student constructs them,then he/she will be able to learn the concept in question. Amix of Action Learning and Lonergan’s ‘program for life’led to the development of this strategy in the context ofcomputing education.