Author: cassiehull

Direct Instruction versus Open Pedagogy in Teaching Programming

Teaching programming is about more than just writing code; it’s about learning how to think logically, solve problems, and be creative. When it comes to learning and teaching coding, there are two major approaches: direct instruction and open pedagogy. Each has its strengths, and knowing how they work can help both educators and students find what fits best for them.

Direct Instruction: Clear and Structured Learning

Direct instruction is a teacher-led approach that focuses on delivering information in a clear and structured way. According to Structural Learning (2021), this method cuts down on confusion by helping guide students through step by step and reinforcing concepts with practice.

How Direct Instruction Works:

• These lessons are carefully planned to introduce concepts in a logical order.
• These students get immediate feedback to correct mistakes early.
• Using quizzes and structured exercises to reinforce learning.
• Using clear goals helps learners stay on track.

Direct instruction is a great way to start for beginners. Learning to code means dealing with strict syntax rules, which can be hard without help. A structured lesson on writing a simple “Hello World” program ensures they understand the basics before diving into more advanced concepts like loops and conditionals.

What is the biggest advantage of direct instruction? It builds a strong foundation fast, by removing the guessing, students can figure out the basics and avoid common mistakes before moving onto more complicated challenges.

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Open Pedagogy: Learning Through Exploration

Open pedagogy takes a more student-driven approach. Instead of just absorbing information, students will actively explore, experiment, and contribute to their own learning. Instead of being given all the information upfront, students are encouraged to discover solutions through exploration. As UBC Open (2021) said, this method encourages students to take ownership of their learning experience.

How Open Pedagogy Works:

• These students learn by working on real-world coding projects.
• Collaboration with peers helps strengthen problem-solving skills.
• Using open-ended assignments allows for experimentation and creativity.
• These learners develop independence and critical thinking skills.

Instead of simply following a tutorial, students might be asked to build a project from scratch, or experiment with different coding methods. It’s particularly effective in developing problem-solving skills, as students must think critically and troubleshoot on their own rather than relying solely on an instructor for answers. This open approach makes learning more engaging and encourages innovative thinking.

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Which approach is better?

Both direct instruction and open pedagogy have their place in programming education.

• Direct instruction is great for beginners who need clear, structured learning to build confidence.
• Open pedagogy is better suited for more advanced learners who want to explore, collaborate, and apply what they’ve learned in creative ways.

Many successful programming courses start with direct instruction to lay a strong foundation and then move towards open pedagogy as students progress and gain more confidence. By understanding these two approaches, one can create more effective and engaging learning experiences, helping students develop not just coding skills, but also the ability to think critically and solve real-world problems.

References

Structural Learning. (2021). Direct instruction: A teacher’s guide. Structural Learning. Retrieved from https://www.structural-learning.com/post/direct-instruction-a-teachers-guide

Tremblay, R. Docebo. (2023) What is direct learning?. Docebo. Retrieved from https://www.docebo.com/learning-network/blog/direct-learning/

UBC Open. (2021). Defining open pedagogy. University of British Columbia. Retrieved from https://pose.open.ubc.ca/open-education/open-pedagogy/defining-open-pedagogy/

Prompts:

• Share a story about how you overcame a learning challenge. Why was it a challenge? What strategies did you use?  Use the language you learned in this unit.

• How would the learning be designed differently by a behaviorist, a cognitivist, and a constructivist? Scenario: A high school social study teacher is planning a class on climate change.

Public speaking was one of my biggest problems in high school. I would struggle asking questions, participating in class or having to present in front of the class, I was extremely anxious and my mind would go blank. Everyone else was able to confidently do it but I couldn’t even fathom being up there. I begged my teachers to present just in front of them because of my struggle with speaking. Throughout the years I have developed and learned ways that helped solve my public speaking. Approaches such as the behaviourist, cognitivism, and constructivist all have a unique way of teaching and looking at my challenges we can take a look at which ones would be more beneficial to use. 

How public speaking could be taught with different methods

Behaviourist Approach: This approach would involve practicing repetitive drills, taking time to memorize speeches and repeating them daily. Having clear instructions, drills and feedback, with it being beneficial to use a reward system. Although helpful this approach would help with habit forming and skill development but wouldn’t help with problem solving or critical thinking. 

Cognitivist Approach: This approach would help organize thoughts and how to structure one’s speech, including learning by using memory aids or cognitive strategies for outlining key points to help recall it when public speaking. This is beneficial for gaining a deep understanding and developing independent skills but can also be too much information at once. 

Constructivist Approach: This approach would involve more hands-on and real-life situations, it explores collaboration and problem-based learning and includes group discussions, role-playing and debates that not only help with public speaking but also encourages critical thinking and real world problem solving. This seems to be the most effective approach in this situation but also has problems such as being time-consuming and struggling without clear guidance. 

How I Overcame My Challenge 

Relating to each of these approaches I pulled some examples of a combination of all approaches:

Behaviourism: I would continually practice my speeches with my close friends and receive feedback for mine, and provide feedback to them allowing me to learn from repetition. 

Cognitivism: Creating flashcards with main points highlighted to help with memory retrieval and structuring my information using chunking. This helped me organize my ideas and be able to recall the sections efficiently.

Constructivism: Becoming more comfortable in a speaking role outside of my school life was extremely beneficial. When putting myself in a real-life situation such as my job working in a restaurant it helped me become comfortable talking to groups of people and helped greatly with my problem-solving skills . 

Pushing past my fear of public speaking wasn’t easy or quick it took time to become fully comfortable doing so but by applying different learning approaches and strategies I gradually overcome these challenges and continue to use these strategies in my everyday life!