Relationship between design and programming skills in an advanced computer programming class
John W. Coffey · Journal of computing sciences in colleges · 2015
Student retention in computer science curricula still hinges critically on success in introductory programming courses. While the literature contains descriptions of courses that place emphasis on design before programming and others that integrate design and programming relatively closely, the relationship between design and programming skill in students has not been definitively described. This article presents a study of the relationship between the ability to create a high-level design of a student project and the ability to write the computer program that would follow from the design. A very high, positive correlation between these two skills is found and discussed. Implications of the study and suggestions for the simultaneous fostering of design and programming skills are presented.