Empirical Study in Teaching FirstYear Database Students

1
Empirical Study in Teaching First-Year Database
Students

• Sue Barnes
• Joanne Kuzma
• (University of Worcester)

2
Activity Based Learned

• Jeopardy
• Find-Your-mate

3
Jeopardy

• TV quiz show started in U.S. in 1960s and
  adapted internationally
• Consists of variety of common trivia topics such
  as history, sports, music
• Contestants are given an answer and reply with a
  question

4
Jeopardy in Teaching

• Numerous powerpoint examples available on the
  Internet
• Teachers adapt categories for their modules
• Easier to give questions and students reply with
  answer

5
Findings

• Adapted the game for
• COMP1112 (database)
• BUSM2101 (business information systems)
• COMP2113 (ecommerce)
• Students enjoyed game in all modules, and liked
  that they played in teams
• In COMP1112, played game with 2 sections and able
  to tell which topics the students were having
  trouble with

6
Find-Your-Mate

• Used to understand data types
• After the students found their matches (or
  mates), the entire class went over each data type
  and the proposed example, and the reasoning for
  the match was explained, as well as other
  examples that could be used.
• For example, for a VARCHAR(25), business factors
  of the firm were discussed which would determine
  the length of this data type.