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A Study on Variation Technique in Courses on Scientific Computing

Received: 30 April 2015    Accepted: 13 May 2015    Published: 16 June 2015
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Abstract

The background of this study is a project aiming at assessing the quality of teaching and learning in scientific computing in different cultural settings. This, we hope will lead us to constructing stan¬dards, which can provide outcomes of comparable quality in scientific computing in different coun¬tries and societies. Specifically we want to gain insight which quality benchmarks are suitable for the project. The tool we use in teaching is a set of variation techniques. The presented pilot study aims at the examination of the role variation theory for the quality of elementary courses in scien¬tific computing. Earlier studies by others confirmed that variation theory offers a comprehensive set of variables characterizing teaching, well described and easy to follow and measure and which can result in improving teaching. The main data for this investigation was collected via interviewing students.

Published in Science Journal of Education (Volume 3, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.sjedu.20150303.13
Page(s) 60-67
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Variation Theory, Programming, Teaching Culture, Learning Quality, Scientific Computing, Python

References
[1] Dennis Beach: The paradoxes of student learning preferences. Ethnography and Education, 3(2): 145--159, 2008.
[2] Dennis Beach and Catarina Player-Koro: Authoritative knowledge in initial teacher education: studying the role of subject textbooks through two ethnographic studies of mathematics teacher education. Journal of Education for Teaching, 38(2): 115--125, 2012.
[3] Shirley Booth: Learning to program: A phenomenographic perspective. PhD thesis, University of Gothenburg, 1992.
[4] Pierre Bourdieu: The forms of capital. Readings in economic sociology, 4: 280, 2008.
[5] Alan Bryman: Social research methods. Oxford university press, 2012.
[6] Claus Führer, Jan-Erik Solem, and Olivier Verdier: Computing with Python. Pearson, 2013.
[7] Kwan, T., Ng, F.P. & Chik, P. "Repetition and Variation". In Marton, F. & Morris, P. (Eds.) What Matters? Discovering critical conditions of classroom learning. Chapter 3, pp.39-58, November 2002. ACTA: Universtitatis Gothoburgensis.
[8] Mun Ling Lo: Variation theory and the improvement of teaching and learning, Göteborg: Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis, 2012.
[9] Ference Marton and Paul Morris: What matters? Discovering critical differences in classroom learning, Göteborg: Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis, 2001.
[10] Ference Marton and Shirley Booth: Learning and awareness. The educational psychology series, Routledge, 1997.
[11] Ference Marton, Amy B.M. Tsui, Pakey P.M. Chik, Po Yuk Ko, and Mun Ling Lo: Classroom discourse and the space of learning. Lawrence Erlbaum, 2004.
[12] Peter Petocz and Anna Reid: On becoming a statistician - a qualitative view. International Statistical Review, 78(2):271--286, 2010.
[13] Ulla Runesson: Beyond discourse and interaction. Variation: a critical aspect for teaching and learning mathematics. Cambridge journal of education, 35(1): 69--87, 2005.
[14] Jarkko Suhonen, Janet Davies, Errol Thompson and Kinshuk: Applications of variation theory in computing education. Proceedings of the Seventh Baltic Sea Conference on Computing Education Research-Volume 88, 217--220. Australian Computer Society, Inc., 2007.
[15] Lev S. Vygotsky: The collected works of L.S. Vygotsky: Volume 1: Problems of general psychology, including the volume Thinking and Speech. Springer, 1987.
[16] Julian Williams: Use and exchange value in mathematics education: contemporary CHAT meets Bourdieu's sociology. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 80 (1-2): 57--72, 2012.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Dara Maghdid, Piotr Szybek, Claus Führer. (2015). A Study on Variation Technique in Courses on Scientific Computing. Science Journal of Education, 3(3), 60-67. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjedu.20150303.13

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    ACS Style

    Dara Maghdid; Piotr Szybek; Claus Führer. A Study on Variation Technique in Courses on Scientific Computing. Sci. J. Educ. 2015, 3(3), 60-67. doi: 10.11648/j.sjedu.20150303.13

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    AMA Style

    Dara Maghdid, Piotr Szybek, Claus Führer. A Study on Variation Technique in Courses on Scientific Computing. Sci J Educ. 2015;3(3):60-67. doi: 10.11648/j.sjedu.20150303.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.sjedu.20150303.13,
      author = {Dara Maghdid and Piotr Szybek and Claus Führer},
      title = {A Study on Variation Technique in Courses on Scientific Computing},
      journal = {Science Journal of Education},
      volume = {3},
      number = {3},
      pages = {60-67},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sjedu.20150303.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjedu.20150303.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjedu.20150303.13},
      abstract = {The background of this study is a project aiming at assessing the quality of teaching and learning in scientific computing in different cultural settings. This, we hope will lead us to constructing stan¬dards, which can provide outcomes of comparable quality in scientific computing in different coun¬tries and societies. Specifically we want to gain insight which quality benchmarks are suitable for the project. The tool we use in teaching is a set of variation techniques. The presented pilot study aims at the examination of the role variation theory for the quality of elementary courses in scien¬tific computing. Earlier studies by others confirmed that variation theory offers a comprehensive set of variables characterizing teaching, well described and easy to follow and measure and which can result in improving teaching. The main data for this investigation was collected via interviewing students.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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Author Information
  • Center for Mathematical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

  • Center for Mathematical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

  • Center for Mathematical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden

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