Work in progress - evaluating a case-based reasoning approach in an introductory programming course

The purpose of the study is to propose an evaluation plan for assessing the effectiveness of an innovative instructional approach: case-based reasoning (CBR) for an introductory programming course at Penn State. CBR is an innovative instructional approach that utilizes the specific knowledge of previously experienced problem situations or cases. A new problem can be solved by finding a similar past case and reusing it in the new problem situation. Then a new case is retained each time when a problem has been solved, making it immediately available for future problem. This study will conduct an experimental study that involves human subjects to validate the use of the CBR approach. Students will be divided into two groups: a traditional group as the control group; and an experimental group utilizing the CBR instructional approach. After the students learn in the two learning environments, a criterion post-test will be conducted to collect quantitative data. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) will be used to analyze the differences between the two groups in order to validate the use of CBR. The research hypothesis of the study is that the group with CBR approach will perform significantly better in the post-test than the control group, since the CBR includes a variety of programming cases for students to learn from past programming cases, then reuse, revise, and eventually create a new case.