Pedagogical Framework for Programming Courses in Higher Education

Learning computer programming has proven to be the main challenge in computer education for undergraduates in higher education. Mastering computer programming involves developing a wide range of skills, including soft skills such as problem-solving and hard skills specific to programming. Students possess a variety of levels in both soft and hard skills in programming, and those with lower skill levels encounter learning difficulties. In the higher education (HE) context, the significant challenge for programming instructors lies in understanding and implementing effective teaching methods and techniques. The literature shows that traditional teaching methods and techniques are not ideal for computer programming pedagogy, as programming skills are effectively developed mainly through student-centred and collaborative learning involving hands-on and practical experiences. Therefore, it is essential to implement an effective teaching framework based on a studentcentred learning approach for HE that facilitates programming instruction and successfully achieves pedagogical goals. However, there is a lack of comprehensive research providing an effective framework for teaching programming to undergraduates in the HE context. This research aims to explore effective teaching frameworks for computer programming courses in HE, identifying key components that must be considered when designing such a framework.