THE ROLE OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING TO IMPROVE COLLEGE

STUDENTS PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS.

John Christian Melendres

BS Computer Science II

Xavier Johanis Elnas

BS Computer Science II

Prof. Ronelaine B. Picardal

BC 25 I
May 2015
Topic Outline

The Role Of Computer Programming To Improve College Students Problem

Solving Skill
Thesis: Taking two computer programming course can improve problem
solving skills

of Silliman University Engineering students.

Introduction
I. Delivering an effective strategies to produce a desired result
A. Explore possible solution through understanding the problem
B. Visualize the solution
II. The positive effect of repetitive exercise with different variation on human
thinking process
A Develop a good memory retention
B Can easily recognize patterns
III. Solve a problem while looking at different angles
A. Generates idea through others idea
B. Creates a creative solution for the problem
Conclusion:

ii
Sentence Outline
The Role Of Computer Programming To Improve College Students Problem
Solving Skill
Thesis: Taking two computer programming course can improve problem
solving skill of
Silliman University engineering students.
Introduction: Today technology is getting more advance and the device is
easy to use unlike in the past that is because the technology is evolving in
terms of hardware and particularly in software. Many of us have difficulties if
it is our first time but with constant practice we can be good at it thats the
same in programming you will have difficulties at grabbing the concept on
how it works but later you will find it easy. Each of has can be good at
something that we want to learn about but we cannot good at something if it
is force for us to do. There are plenty of skill that people can develop like
playing an instruments. But programming is somehow unique because it is a
practical tool you can use in everyday life learning it provides plenty but not
pointless knowledge that trains your brain. In learning some students can
easily learn but not all have the ability to learn quickly because we dont
have the capacity like a computer that stores information immediately and
we need to review or restudy what we learn for us to remember it, learning

is a process so taking two computer programming course can

improve can problem solving skill of S.U Engineering student.

iii
I. Delivering an effective strategies to produce a desired result
A. Student s can explore possible solution through understanding the
problem
B. Students can visualize the solution to solve the problem
II. The positive effect of repetitive exercise with different variation on human
thinking
process
A. It can lead to the development of students good memory retention
B. It can lead to the ability to easily recognize patterns
III. Solve a problem while looking at different angles
A. Students can generate ideas through others ideas
B. Students can create a creative solution for the problem
Conclusion:
The above discussion shows that learning and thinking are factors
needed in computer programming and, Thus Taking two computer
programming course can improve problem solving skills of Silliman
University Engineering students.

The Role Of Computer Programming To Improve College Students Problem

Solving Skill

Today technology is getting more advance and the device is easy to

use unlike in the past that is because the technology is evolving in terms of
hardware and particularly in software a device is useless if it doesnt have a
software and it is made through computer programming. Computer
programming is often shortened to programming or coding it is a process of
writing, testing and debugging a computer program and the purpose of this
is to create instruction that a computer can understand for us to perform
arithmetic and different activities using the computer.
Many of us have difficulties if it is our first time but with constant
practice we can be good at it thats the same in programming you will have
difficulties at grabbing the concept on how it works but later you will find it
easy. Each of has can be good at something that we want to learn about but
we cannot good at something if it is force for us to do. Engr.Diputado (2015)
state that each person has his or her calling, thus not all appreciate
programming but through learning it shows our appreciation and if
and an individual does not appreciate programming then we cannot
learn to program.
There are plenty of skill that people can develop to become a wellrounded person like playing an instruments, writing, speaking and etc. But
programming is somehow unique because it is a practical tool you can use in

everyday life learning it provides plenty but not pointless knowledge that
trains your brain. It can be a great practice for

2
being precise because when you code a program you will always expect the
result to come out correct.
Moreover almost all profession will take a long time to master
the basics to before you can proceed to advance studies. Yet some
people who barely graduate high school can be able to create a
complex software. People either can program or not education can
help you prepare and gives you better tools to start and pure
intelligence is not required. In programming it requires the ability
to grasp abstract concepts using different set of programming
languages and to create something form nothing and programming
is not just for geniuses but there are some that can overcome the
limits and can be more productive that the rest of us Wulf(2007).
In learning some students can easily learn but not all have the ability
to learn quickly because we dont have the capacity like a computer that
stores information immediately and we need to review or restudy what we
learn for us to remember it, learning is a process so taking two
computer programming course can improve can problem solving
skill of S.U Engineering student.

This paper presents a discussion on how computer programming can

improve students problem solving skills. First part is about how a strategy
can solve a problem. Second is about the positive effect of exercises on
human brain. Last is solving a problem with a different perspective.

3
Developing an effective strategy to produce a desired result.
People encounter problems every day. Some problems, such as solving the
daily Sudoku puzzle, are enjoyable, while others, like figuring out how to
retrieve the keys you just locked in the car. Although researchers have
examined problem solving, there is still a lot we dont know about how we
strategically work through problems. Solving problems is integral to learning.
You began solving problems at a very young age. Granted, those problems
may seem trivial like how to get a toy now compared to the problems you
face as an adult about how to pay the bills, but they certainly didn't seem
trivial at the time. Problems are problems, regardless of the importance or
severity; they all have a common goal, to reach a solution.
One of the most effective strategies of problem solving is creative
thinking, to find solution we can use the methods of creative thinking. In
creative thinking we must transcend our usual ways of seeing. We should not
limit ourselves to seeing what we are supposed to see or thinking about
things as we were taught to think about them. We must learn to see and

think without assumptions, stereotypes, or expectations, much as a painter

does when looking at a penny lying on the floor, seeing it as oval instead of
round or as brown with a white sheen instead of copper.
According to Kirby & Goodpaster, 2004:
To think creatively we must transcend the world of dos and
donts and enter the world of the impossible, the frivolous, the
vulgar, and the absurd. We must see
4
things not for what they are or for what they were meant to
be, but for what we can imagine them to be, this world of the
creative is in each of us. We need only watch a young child
play to realize the creativity that was once present in all of us.
Another strategy when solving a problem is to analyze the given
problem and understand what it is. Defining a problem means being as
precise and as specific as possible, although more precise is still an illdefined problem but it will enable us to identify the possible causes of
malfunctioning, and it shortens our path to the solution of the problem.
Engr. Johnson B. Diputado (2015) stated in solving a problem know
what the problem requires as its solution. Know what one have at
hand. It could be possible that one already has the solution to the
problem. If one does not yet have the solution, then one might have

at hand resources that could be used in finding the or arriving to a

solution to the problem. Determine if what one has at hand is
enough in finding for or arriving to a solution to the problem. If one
does not have enough resources then gather the rest. If one does
not have the liberty to procure additional resources then one make
do with what one has at hand. Formulate a methodology in solving
for a problem. The methodology should base on the task at hand.
Resources at hand that one must take into consideration in the
formulation of the methodology are time, equipment knowledge,
etc.

Implement

the

methodology.

It

is

possible

that

the

implementation would yield a

5
solution. If the implementation does not yield one could repeat the
implementation until a solution is found or one could formulate
another methodology and then implement it.
One of the ways to solve a problem is To look for a cause of the
problem. Looking for a possible solution of a problem may be difficult but
sometimes the solution maybe right in front of you. For example, A writer,
for instance, could experience frustration. She may find that her
frustration comes from an inability to concentrate and her lack of
concentration stems from

problems in personal relationship.

Knowing the cause one of the cause allows you to fix things and
thereby you gain you focus back. (Kirby and Goodpaster, 2004).
In programming it very important that we should look what the
problem is and what is causing the problem because trial and error might
help but it will take use time to solve the problem unlike we make strategies
it will benefit us because we had solve the problem and it will also tell us that
the program we are coding is right and more importantly if we use strategy
in solving a problem the result will be as we expect the program to produce.
The

positive

effect

of

repetitive

exercise

with

different

variation on human thinking process. In our day to day life we always

use our memory to recall events we need it in order for use to function and
make a direction for our life. But not all the time our memory can be helpful
because not all human have the capacity to remember all the information
that he or she absorbs but that doesnt necessarily that we are stupid. If we
6
forget something it means that we are just unable to retrieve the stored
information in our brain. There are memory stages that differs on how fast
we can access the information we can access information in the long term
memory and short term memory. In the long term memory the information
can be store in days, weeks, months, and even years and there is no limit
capacity on how much can a long term memory can store information unlike
the short term memory the information will just be available for us to
process.

According to McGaugh (1997):

Many factors that influence the development of the long term

memory. Perhaps the most important influence is repetition.
Although practice does not necessarily makes prefect, it
does lead to good retention, as we know from our own
experience as well as extensive experimental research.

In computer programming repetition of exercises or using a certain

code over and over again help a student to retain these codes in their mind.
If a student already know how a certain code works and if there is a scenario
that a certain code is missing due to accidental deletion he or she can supply
the missing codes provided that he or she already know how the program
works or operates. In repetitive exercises students can learn and master the
same idea and if they do the problem exercises again they can easily solve
the problem and can distinguish how each code is being use. According to
Zhance (1994),
7
Learning means acquiring new ideas so it is also natural to forget
newly acquired idea s but learning also includes changes thereby
having to do the same thing again means reduction in response rate
considering the example of a math problem, a student may time

thinking about the solution of the problem, but when the student
finally gets the solution, so solving the problem again may take
lesser time due to the familiarity of the problem. Doing identical
thing over a period of time give a particular pattern and faster rate
of responding these effects are called schedule effects.
Moreover in repeating the exercises again student can distinguish a
feature of an object easily. In programming it is very important to distinguish
a pattern because a program can sometimes operate in a same manner and
if we know the similar operation of the program there is no need to rewrite
the code which make the coding process fast. If student always do
programming exercises he or she can write a basic code easily without
looking at the book or any references because the student already know the
pattern on how a program start.
Furthermore, Template are the model pattern that we already
know in the template theory it propose that the we store a great
number of template in our mind and it also propose that expertise is
gained through the large amount of information stored in our long
term memory that is later access. We can recognize pattern by
comparing the template in our mind to the object we see. We always
use template matching for example a chess player use a strategies
with template theory to recall the moves of his past games and
compare that move if it is applicable to use in his present
game(Sternberg,2012).

8
In programming it is necessary to recognize a pattern because even if
it look like a code of line is the same but the operation or its function is
different. And in programming it also involves equations and manipulation of
numbers and when it comes to numbers

doing the arithmetic you might

think the result is random but it follows a pattern on how result it is calculate.
To recognize a pattern is very important in our daily life, it can help us when
it comes to game like puzzle, chess, cross word puzzle and etc. and if we use
strategy with pattern recognition we can solve a puzzle easily or win a game
because we already know the result if we make a specific move.
From my point of view the effects of the repetitive exercise will help
engineering student because they mostly do math and when it comes to
math you will always need practice on how to solve equations and in solving
equation you will need pattern and if they always practice on how to solve
equation it will benefit them when it comes to exam and working under
pressure.
Solving a problem while looking at different angles. Before
rushing to solve a problem, always make sure you look at it from different
perspectives. Looking at it with different eyes is a great way to have instant
insight on new, overlooked directions. To achieve more creative ideas
brainstorming is the most ideal way to gather different approaches craft
possible solutions for a certain problem.

But, according to Kirby & Goodpaster (2004) stated in their study

that Starbursting is the same as brainstorming but brainstorming
lacks detail, prediction and some ideas go out of topic. In
Starbursting is mainly focuses on the topic and will be followed by a
question that still relates on the topic. Starbursting is somehow
revers of Socratic Method because Startburting produces question
to the ideas while the Socratic Method produces conclusion to the
idea. Somehow the Socratic Method only led to one solution while
the Starburting can have one or more solution to the problem.
In solving a problem if you cant solve it then you find another
alternative solution that is when teamwork will come in by generating ideas
through starbursting it is

useful tool to support your problem solving or

decision making processes by helping you to understand all aspects and

options more fully because not all people can come up a solution
immediately to solve a problem and a single solution might not be enough to
fix a problem permanently thats why we should generate ideas from each
other because it can simulate new and better ideas and to have multiple
solutions and we can select the best option that will fit to the problem. And
thats why if we work in company they always emphasizes teambuilding
because a team can always accomplish a task in smoothly or fix a problem
immediately unlike if you are the project leader and if work alone you most
likely to end up in a bad position if your project will fail because you did not
associate the concept of teamwork.

Moreover, Silverstein (2012) stated that looking at problem with

different perspective could lead to creative solution. The A-ha
moment is part of the abstract connection in the right brain that is
create between the disparate ideas. Example of this is on how Isaac
Newton theorized the gravity through a falling apple an event like
this
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can trigger an idea which makes the right brain to create a
connection to creativity to solve a problem. The process works by
solving the problem with your usual solutions and when youre left
brain exhaust all ideas that dont work at this point you will get
frustrated then your right brain will engage and it solve the
problem with image and once the left brain has gotten out of total
frustration the right brain is able to combine the language that it
knows which is pictures then thats it the connection is made.
In programming you should always explore possible solution to the
problem because a program is a very long lines of code and the longer the
line of code of program the higher the error will occur when you run the
program that is why the shorter the code you make, the program is more
efficient. Engr. Diputado (2015) state that efficiency

would mean that

the program should use the least memory, execute fast and should
be compose of only a few line of codes. And in writing the program

which involves manipulation of data it will compose many line of codes and
there is a high probability that a student will have a wrong syntax
composition of codes and the longer the codes that the student type he or
she will not notice it so when running the program errors will occur and it is
very hard to determine where should the student start to debug. That is
when the creative part will occur because the student will find many possible
solution until only few errors left to debug and if there so possible solution he
or she will rewrite the code of line with errors.

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We it comes to problem solving it depends on how fast and efficient
the solution we think to solve the problem because it depends on the
knowledge and experience a student possess. In programming it always
involves problems that makes your brain to think for solutions to fix the
errors we make in coding. Thinking and learning are key factors because the
more we learn and think the greater the knowledge we gain and produce and
it is a process to begin form bottom to top. In this research paper it show that
programming can make a student develop efficient strategies to approach
the problem, enhances memory and it can broaden a students perspective.
Thus, Taking two computer programming course can improve problem
solving skills of Silliman University Engineering students.

References

Silverstein, S. (2012, September 3). Changing Perspective: A New Look At

Old Problems
Retrieved from
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2012/09/03/changing
perpective-new-look-old-problems/
Sternberg, R., & Sternberg K. (2012). Cognitive Psychology (6th ed.). United
States of
America: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning
McGonical, J. (2008 September). Growing up gamer. Retrieved from
http://janemcgonigal.com/my-book/

Levey, S., & Polistock, S. (2011). Language development: Understanding

language
diversity in the classroom. California: Sage Publishing Inc.
Allen, M. (2004). Smart thinking: Skill for critical understanding and writing
(2nd ed.).
Australia: Oxford University Press.
Manning, C. (2012,March 20). Student's view: The benefits of understanding
programming. Retrieved form http://scratched.gse.harvard.edu/stories/
students-view-benefits-understanding-programming

Dunn, D., Holonen, J., & Smith, R. A. (Eds.). (2003). Teaching critical thinking
in
psychology: A handbook of the best practices. United Kingdom:
Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Kirby, G., & Goodpaster, J. R. (1995) . Thinking. New Jersey: Printice-Hall Inc.
Davidson, J. E., & Stenberg, R. J. (Eds.). (2003). The psychology of problem
solving
skills. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.

Wulf, A. (2012, April 2). Your Brain On Code: What Makes You Able To
Program?
Retrieved form
http://thecodist.com/article/your-brain-on-codewhat-makesyou-able-to-program

Appendix A

Silliman University
Dumaguete City, Philippines
Engr. Johnson Diputado:
College of Engineering
April 20, 2015
Dear Sir Diputado:
We are students from the College of Computer Studies who are currently
conducting a research entitled Taking Two Computer Programming
Course will Improve Problem Solving Skill of Engineering Students in
Silliman University. The Study is in partial fulfillment of the requirements
in BC 25 (Research Writing in the Discipline).
In this regard, may we request for an interview with you at your
convenience. Kindly contact us through this number 0917-398-4866 or 0922563-7074. You will greatly help in the completion of this study.
We assure you that your answers will be kept confidential and will be used
solely for the purpose of this study
Thank You for your time and cooperation.
Sincerely yours,

John Christian Melendres

Xavier Johanis Elnas

Noted by:
Prof. Ronelaine B. Picardal
Instructor, BC 25

Appendix B

Name of the Interviewee:

Name of the Interviewer:

1. What are the things you look at first when solving a problem?
2. How does computer programming relate to problem solving?
3. What is your style of teaching programming?
4. What do students find most difficult about programming in their first time?
5. Does the difficulty of programming force a student to drop the course?
6. What is important for you the result or on how student code the program?
Why?
7. Can a student learn in programming by just editing someone elses work?
8. Which do you prefer students develop their own technique or teach them
a technique in coding? Why?
9. What attitude are developed in computer programming?
10. Why should people learn to code?