Improving the teaching of programming using a VLE enhanced with learning objects

This paper outlines how the teaching of programming has been improved by the use of a virtual learning environment enhanced with learning objects. The project has involved over 600 students at two higher education institutions. The new components were introduced to students in the 2002-3 academic year. A rich eLearning environment was developed and delivered in WebCT. This environment was enhanced with the use of text and multimedia learning objects. These learning objects have been designed to offer pedagogically rich resources to help students learn the main concepts of programming. They were also designed to facilitate re-use in other courses. A thorough evaluation was conducted and the results are reported in this paper. Pass rates compared to the previous year were substantially improved, and feedback from the students shows considerable support for the approach taken.