Integrating Algorithm Visualization Video into a First-Year Algorithm and Data Structure Course Articles uri icon

publication date

  • April 2012

start page

  • 115

end page

  • 124

issue

  • 2

volume

  • 15

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 1176-3647

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1436-4522

abstract

  • In this paper we describe the results that we have obtained while integrating algorithm visualization (AV) movies (strongly tightened with the other teaching material), within a first-year undergraduate course on algorithms and data structures. Our experimental results seem to support the hypothesis that making these movies available significantly improved students' performances. Moreover, the movies were highly appreciated by the students (both from a comprehensibility point of view and from a usefulness point of view), even though with a low attitude towards the emerging video pod-cast technology. Finally, our results indicate the necessity of integrating the AV movies with audio comment, which seems to be one of the most interesting research question left open by our study.