Revel for Introduction to Java Programming
Programming and coding skills are in high demand, and can provide access to employment in growing fields. But a high percentage of undergraduates who enroll in relevant programs do not persist until they achieve competency in the subject and employment in the field.
Because Java programming is required for many software development roles, Pearson explored how the use of Revel for Introduction to Java Programming by Y. Daniel Liang is related to learner outcomes related to achievement on assigned tasks, tests, and the course as a whole.
Revel for Introduction to Java Programming aims to give students an authentically challenging experience of Java programming and is designed to support them to persist with more and more challenging tasks based on learning science principles.
The study shows that students’ persistence with challenging programming tasks in Revel tends to pay off in the form of higher scores on those tasks. Students whose persistence leads to gains in performance also tend to achieve higher course grades.
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Key findings
We compared the content, assignments, and course settings of 321 courses using the same Revel title to teach nearly 7,500 students and found this course to be highly representative of introductory Java programming courses, sharing a profile with 220 (roughly 70%) of them. This suggests that the findings could potentially be replicated in a significant number of other settings.
How we did it
Pearson examined the use of Revel in relation to learner outcomes like achievement and completion for Introduction to Java Programming by Y. Daniel Liang.
Pearson conducted a correlational study with 114 students taking an introductory computer science course between the Spring 2018 and Fall 2019 semesters at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). The study analyzed:
- students’ performance, persistence, and gains on Revel programming tasks (using data from Revel for Introduction to Java Programming) and
- students’ achievement (using data provided by UNCG).
It also explored implementation — that is, how Revel for Introduction to Java Programming was integrated into the course experience. The instructor assigned Revel tasks the weekend before lecture, answered questions during the lecture, and then assigned the next task to be due by the lab later in the week. Students were allowed to attempt these programming tasks unlimited times without penalties.
To answer questions about relationships between performance on Revel tasks and performance in the course, we used statistical models to connect students’ usage of Revel for Introduction to Java Programming, and their performance within it, to summative measures of achievement collected outside Revel. These models accounted for students’ prior achievement, their prior programming experience, the time they spent on reading and assessment tasks, their on-time completion of reading tasks, and demographic attributes where possible. Learn more about the research in these two reports:
Read the Product Efficacy Report
A summary of all relevant research about Revel for Introduction to Java Programming, including foundational research related to the design of the product and impact evaluation review.
Read the Technical Research Report
A study with University of North Carolina at Greensboro evaluating the impact of Revel for Introduction to Java Programming.
What we learned
Efficacy statements
In the context of this study, conducted with 114 students between the Spring 2018 and Fall 2019 semesters at UNCG, we can make the following descriptive statement about the efficacy of Revel for Introduction to Java Programming by Y. Daniel Liang:
- 90% of students persisted on more than 85% of the tasks on which they initially had an incorrect first attempt
In the same context, we can make the following correlational statements about the efficacy of this Revel title:
- Higher first-attempt scores on Revel programming tasks are associated with higher programming test scores
- A 10-point increase in the student’s first-attempt Revel programming task score is associated with nearly a 5-point increase on their programming test scores
- A 10-point increase in the student’s first-attempt Revel programming task score is associated with nearly a 5-point increase on their programming test scores
- In general, students who persisted and made higher gains on Revel programming tasks from their first attempt score to their highest score tended to earn higher final course grades
- A 10-point increase in the student’s gain score on Revel Programming tasks is associated with nearly a 4-point increase in final course grades
- A 10-point increase in the student’s gain score on Revel Programming tasks is associated with nearly a 4-point increase in final course grades
These correlational results are all based on a multiple regression model controlling for prior achievement, prior programming experience, and demographic factors.
The findings from this study informed an improvement to Revel Introduction to Java Programming. Originally, Revel’s default settings were to allow students three attempts at each programming task, with the points awarded diminishing with each unsuccessful attempt. Influenced in part by the study’s findings about challenge and persistence, this will be changed to allow unlimited attempts without point deduction for incorrect attempts.