A comparison of procedural programming achievement and object-oriented programming achievement in relation to cognitive skills

Abstract

The recent advent of programming languages incorporating both procedural programming and object-oriented capabilities at a reasonable price for schools raises the question of whether an exposure of Year twelve information technology students to object-oriented programming is an appropriate pedagogical objective. The potential of object-oriented programming to inherit user interfaces formed the contextural justification for also considering the possibility that the addition of sophisticated user interfaces would enthuse students and provide more stimulating and exciting developmental work. An information processing model based on cognitive skills and motivational factors provided the framework within which student achievement in traditional procedural programming was compared with student achievement in object-oriented programming. Forty-eight Year twelve students, randomly assigned to procedural programming and object-oriented programming classes, were administered the Learning Style Profile. Achievement was measured in three areas of programming competence: knowledge of syntax, program modification, and program composition. Attitude towards programming was measured by the use of a liking of programming subscale, a programming difficulty subscale, and a programming usefulness subscale.