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An Empirical Study of Adaptive Feedback to Enhance Cognitive Ability in Programming Learning among College Students: A Perspective Based on Multimodal Data Analysis

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Title: An Empirical Study of Adaptive Feedback to Enhance Cognitive Ability in Programming Learning among College Students: A Perspective Based on Multimodal Data Analysis
Language: English
Authors: Wen-shuang Fu, Jia-hua Zhang (ORCID 0000-0002-4231-0483), Di Zhang, Tian-tian Li, Min Lan, Na-na Liu
Source: Journal of Educational Computing Research. 2025 63(3):532-564.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 33
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Feedback (Response), Cognitive Ability, Programming, Computer Science Education, College Students, Data Analysis, Brain, Scores, Academic Achievement, Cognitive Processes, Self Efficacy, Learning Analytics, Diagnostic Tests
DOI: 10.1177/07356331241313126
ISSN: 0735-6331
1541-4140
Abstract: Cognitive ability is closely associated with the acquisition of programming skills, and enhancing learners' cognitive ability is a crucial factor in improving the efficacy of programming education. Adaptive feedback strategies can provide learners with personalized support based on their learning context, which helps to stimulate their interest and improve learning outcomes. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether adaptive feedback can enhance the cognitive ability of programming learners. This study applies adaptive feedback strategies to an introductory programming course by designing a quasi-experiment to analyze and reveal the effects of adaptive feedback on the cognitive ability to program learners from multiple modalities, including physiological, psychological, and behavioral data. Sixty-five first-year university students were randomly assigned to either experimental or control groups. The experimental group received adaptive feedback during the programming learning process and the control group received non-differential feedback. The findings demonstrated that adaptive feedback significantly enhances the cognitive ability of programming learners. The experimental group demonstrated superior performance in cognitive ability tests, programming examinations, and programming self-efficacy. Furthermore, adaptive feedback was found to markedly improve the cognitive processing of learners, as evidenced by the amplitude and latency of the P300 component in EEG signals, key-press reaction times and accuracy rates.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1468218
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: An Empirical Study of Adaptive Feedback to Enhance Cognitive Ability in Programming Learning among College Students: A Perspective Based on Multimodal Data Analysis
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wen-shuang+Fu%22">Wen-shuang Fu</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jia-hua+Zhang%22">Jia-hua Zhang</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4231-0483">0000-0002-4231-0483</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Di+Zhang%22">Di Zhang</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tian-tian+Li%22">Tian-tian Li</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Min+Lan%22">Min Lan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Na-na+Liu%22">Na-na Liu</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Educational+Computing+Research%22"><i>Journal of Educational Computing Research</i></searchLink>. 2025 63(3):532-564.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: 33
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Feedback+%28Response%29%22">Feedback (Response)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+Ability%22">Cognitive Ability</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Programming%22">Programming</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+Science+Education%22">Computer Science Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Students%22">College Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+Analysis%22">Data Analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Brain%22">Brain</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scores%22">Scores</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Achievement%22">Academic Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognitive+Processes%22">Cognitive Processes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Efficacy%22">Self Efficacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+Analytics%22">Learning Analytics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Diagnostic+Tests%22">Diagnostic Tests</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/07356331241313126
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  Data: 0735-6331<br />1541-4140
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  Data: Cognitive ability is closely associated with the acquisition of programming skills, and enhancing learners' cognitive ability is a crucial factor in improving the efficacy of programming education. Adaptive feedback strategies can provide learners with personalized support based on their learning context, which helps to stimulate their interest and improve learning outcomes. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether adaptive feedback can enhance the cognitive ability of programming learners. This study applies adaptive feedback strategies to an introductory programming course by designing a quasi-experiment to analyze and reveal the effects of adaptive feedback on the cognitive ability to program learners from multiple modalities, including physiological, psychological, and behavioral data. Sixty-five first-year university students were randomly assigned to either experimental or control groups. The experimental group received adaptive feedback during the programming learning process and the control group received non-differential feedback. The findings demonstrated that adaptive feedback significantly enhances the cognitive ability of programming learners. The experimental group demonstrated superior performance in cognitive ability tests, programming examinations, and programming self-efficacy. Furthermore, adaptive feedback was found to markedly improve the cognitive processing of learners, as evidenced by the amplitude and latency of the P300 component in EEG signals, key-press reaction times and accuracy rates.
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: EJ1468218
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        Value: 10.1177/07356331241313126
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      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 33
        StartPage: 532
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Feedback (Response)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cognitive Ability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Programming
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer Science Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Students
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      – SubjectFull: Data Analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Brain
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      – SubjectFull: Scores
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      – SubjectFull: Academic Achievement
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      – SubjectFull: Cognitive Processes
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      – SubjectFull: Self Efficacy
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      – SubjectFull: Learning Analytics
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      – SubjectFull: Diagnostic Tests
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: An Empirical Study of Adaptive Feedback to Enhance Cognitive Ability in Programming Learning among College Students: A Perspective Based on Multimodal Data Analysis
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            NameFull: Wen-shuang Fu
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