Exploring Novice Programmers' Homework Practices: Initial Observations of Information Seeking Behaviors

There are many factors that contribute to the success of students learning to code. For students in introductory programming classes, one source of complexity is the availability of a wide variety of information sources. In this paper, we report observations of students seeking information when working on programming homework assignments. Our data was collected from a think-aloud protocol embedded into semi-structured, individual interviews with students enrolled in a CS1 course. We analyze our data through the lens of information seeking behavior. We observed students using multiple sources of information, including referring back to course materials and searching for information online, and discussing how they sought help from friends, classmates, and family members. Herein, we discuss implications for teaching and future research based on our initial observations. For example, instructors could consider designing early homework assignments that would prompt students to seek information and follow up this assignment with an in-class discussion about homework strategies. Future research could investigate the mechanisms by which students progress from haphazard to more strategic information seeking behaviors.