Hi Gergely, I don't know if this helps but I use a problem solving approach from "apps for good" method to introduce students from HE and secondary education to programming that have not do any computer science before.
The apps for good approach aims for mobile applications but the approach works for any area of problem solving e.g. web apps, physical computing etc. The critical idea is getting the students to work in small groups, come up with their own problems that they work on together. They then use Balsamiq (wireframe tool) for their design and then move towards any programming language you have in mind. A natural and simple progression is MIT apps inventor, which quickly enables them to prototype their solutions to run on mobile phones but there is a simulator etc. As a programming language it has its limitations but it depends on the aim of the course/module. I have used various workshop methods but the central thing is team work and letting them come up with a problem they would like to solve. I'll send the resources in a separate link. Another great way to get them motivated is peer-assessment of the projects they have designed solutions. Best wishes, Patricia On 22 Apr 2013, at 08:14, Gergely Buday wrote: > Hi, > > I teach programming to students who do not really know why they came > into the course called business informatics, who are not really versed > in mathematics and, possibly because of these, are not motivated to do > hard work grasping the concepts and to hack a lot. I feel that they > are not fond of problem solving, even in the everyday sense: some of > them do not care if they meet a problem, just give up. > > I guess some of you were faced to this problem, so ask: how can I > motivate these students? > > What is a must to read on this topic? > > - Gergely > > -- > The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt > charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302). >
