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  • © 2020

Guide to Teaching Computer Science

An Activity-Based Approach

  • Presents both a conceptual framework and detailed implementation guidelines for general computer science teaching

  • Clearly written and structured to be applicable to all levels of education and for any teaching organization, without limiting its focus to instruction for any specific curriculum, programming language or paradigm

  • Provides learning activities throughout the book

  • Fully updated new edition featuring new chapters on computational thinking, soft ideas, and data science

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Table of contents (18 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xx
  2. Introduction: What Is This Guide About?

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 1-19
  3. Active Learning and the Active-Learning-Based Teaching Model

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 21-29
  4. Overview of the Discipline of Computer Science

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 31-55
  5. Computational Thinking

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 57-74
  6. Computer Science Soft Concepts and Soft Skills

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 75-93
  7. Data Science and Computer Science Education

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 95-117
  8. Research in Computer Science Education

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 119-142
  9. Problem-Solving Strategies

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 143-168
  10. Learners’ Alternative Conceptions

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 169-180
  11. Teaching Methods in Computer Science Education

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 181-220
  12. Lab-Based Teaching

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 221-249
  13. Types of Questions in Computer Science Education

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 251-277
  14. Assessment

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 279-303
  15. Teaching Planning

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 305-319
  16. Design of Methods of Teaching Computer Science Courses

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 321-348
  17. Getting Experience in Computer Science Education

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 349-369
  18. High School Computer Science Teacher Preparation Programs

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 371-392
  19. Epilogue

    • Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot
    Pages 393-394
  20. Back Matter

    Pages 395-407

About this book

This concise yet thorough textbook presents an active-learning model for the teaching of computer science. Offering both a conceptual framework and detailed implementation guidelines, the work is designed to support a Methods of Teaching Computer Science (MTCS) course, but may be applied to the teaching of any area of computer science at any level, from elementary school to university. This text is not limited to any specific curriculum or programming language, but instead suggests various options for lesson and syllabus organization.

Fully updated and revised, the third edition features more than 40 new activities, bringing the total to more than 150, together with new chapters on computational thinking, data science, and soft concepts and soft skills. This edition also introduces new conceptual frameworks for teaching such as the MERge model, and new formats for the professional development of computer science educators.

Topics and features: includes an extensive set of activities, to further support the pedagogical principles outlined in each chapter; discusses educational approaches to computational thinking, how to address soft concepts and skills in a MTCS course, and the pedagogy of data science (NEW); focuses on teaching methods, lab-based teaching, and research in computer science education, as well as on problem-solving strategies; examines how to recognize and address learners’ misconceptions, and the different types of questions teachers can use to vary their teaching methods; provides coverage of assessment, teaching planning, and designing a MTCS course; reviews high school teacher preparation programs, and how prospective teachers can gain experience in teaching computer science.

This easy-to-follow textbook and teaching guide will prove invaluable to computer science educators within all frameworks, including university instructors and high school teachers, as well as to instructors of computer science teacher preparation programs.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Education in Science & Technology, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel

    Orit Hazzan, Tami Lapidot

  • Faculty of Education, Beit Berl College, Doar Beit Berl, Israel

    Noa Ragonis

About the authors

Dr. Orit Hazzan is Professor at the Department of Education in Science and Technology at Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Her other publications include the Springer titles Application of Management Theories for STEM EducationRisk Management of Education SystemsThe MERge Model for Business DevelopmentAgile Anywhere, and Agile Software Engineering.

Dr. Noa Ragonis is a researcher in the field of computer science education, focusing on cognitive aspects of teaching and learning, particularly in relation to logic programming, object oriented programming, and computational thinking. She has authored ten computer science high-school textbooks and teachers' guides.

Dr. Tami Lapidot is Executive Manager of Machshava – the Israeli National Center for Computer Science Teachers.

All three authors have extensive experience of teaching, management, research, and involvement in computer science teacher preparation programs, as well as of participation in national initiatives and policy-making committees. They have taught courses on computer science and on computer science education to high school pupils, undergraduate students, and pre-service and in-service teachers. The research the authors have conducted examines a variety of computer science education topics, including teaching methods, learning processes, teacher preparation, and social and organizational issues of computer science education.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Guide to Teaching Computer Science

  • Book Subtitle: An Activity-Based Approach

  • Authors: Orit Hazzan, Noa Ragonis, Tami Lapidot

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-39360-1

  • Publisher: Springer Cham

  • eBook Packages: Computer Science, Computer Science (R0)

  • Copyright Information: Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-39359-5Published: 06 August 2020

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-3-030-39362-5Published: 07 August 2021

  • eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-39360-1Published: 05 August 2020

  • Edition Number: 3

  • Number of Pages: XX, 407

  • Number of Illustrations: 27 b/w illustrations, 13 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Computers and Education, Teaching and Teacher Education, Science Education

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 44.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access