Providing a welcome environment to make mistakes [computer science education]

The process of learning new material can be frustrating for many students particularly if they think they are making more mistakes than positive steps forward. Students need to be shown that mistakes are indicators of how well they have mastered the material and how alert they are when working on the material. They need to view mistakes as an opportunity to improve rather than in the more negative light as an “ego deflater”. In order to help data structure students in the Computer Systems Engineering Department at the University of Arkansas to become more motivated and to give themselves a chance to complete the program assignments, several techniques were used to help students complete the program assignments adequately. At the beginning of the course, the students were given small assignments which were graded, but not recorded, in order to give them an idea of how grading would proceed in the course. Most of the students would complete these assignments. Furthermore, labs were given and reviewed in class to reinforce the concepts in the material just covered in lectures. The results of this method and tracking of student progress are discussed