Parameter passing: the rules the students construct
Ann E. Fleury · 1991
One of Pascal's virtues is that it permits the creation of modular programs by using logically independent procedures.However this advantage of Pascal is utilized only when students learn to handle procedures and to manage parameter passing well enough to harness Pascal's power.This study examined student knowledge relating to parameter passing in Pascal.During interviews, students were asked to predict which programs from a collection of similar programs would work according to specification and which would not work due to variable access errors or parameter passing errors.This paper will discuss these interviews.In particular it will examine the most pervasive false assumptions or "student-constructed rules" exposed by the interviews.It will also discuss hints provided by the interviews regarding instructional methods to emphasize and instructional methods to avoid.