Computing Education and Learning Technology Research Group

Computers play an increasingly important role in modern education as tools to communicate knowledge, engage students in active learning, and facilitate collaboration.

The CELT research group explores how novices learn to program, differences between programming languages and environments used in computer science education, cybersecurity education, visualisation of computing concepts, curriculum design and delivery, attitudes and diversity in the computing classroom.

We also design, build, and evaluate a range of different educational technologies and explore how computer software can enhance traditional education practice, including educational games, mobile learning and tools that support collaboration.

Our recent and ongoing research projects include:

  • Exploring a variety of feedback mechanisms for computer science students
  • Novice programming
  • Program comprehension
  • Improving the readability of compiler error messages
  • Using augmented and virtual reality to improve teaching and learning in a wide variety of fields such as computer graphics, molecular biology, and piano tutoring
  • Novel automatic assessment tools, e.g., for computer graphics assignments
  • Using gamification techniques to improve student participation in online learning tools
  • Text-based programming in senior secondary schools – understanding teachers’ perspectives and issues
  • Teaching debugging strategies
  • Problem-solving schema
  • Evaluating flipped classroom in introductory programming courses
  • Developing personalised cybersecurity assessments
  • Teaching and learning cybersecurity using competitive activities
  • Analysis of student code submissions to understand the decisions they make and the problems they face