Chinese Journal of Science Education


Vol. 6 No. 3 , Pages 303 - 320 , 1998

Transparency and Systematicity of Analogy in Learning Computer Programming Concepts (Article written in chinese)

Cheng-Chih WU & Ting-Yue LIN

Abstract

Analogy has been considered an effective instructional strategy. Transparency and systematicity of analogy are two factors identified as contributing to the effectiveness of analogical learning. This study explored how transparency and systematicity of analogy affect students’ comprehension of nested loops, an important programming concept. A two by two (transparency × systematicity) empirical design was used to explore the differences in science achievement and perception of the subjects (176 high school students). The research findings revealed that: (1) the effects of transparency and systematicity of analogical materials on students’ achievement were not significant; (2) instructional materials containing high-transparency analogy helped students perceive more analogical relations than those with low-transparency analogy; (3) students perceived more high-order analogical relations from the systematical analogies that the non-systematical analogies; and (4) students who perceived more analogical relations and high-order analogical relations performed better on the achievement test.

Keywords: analogy; programming

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