Challenges Experienced by First-Year Students in the Programming Module - A Literature Review

Transitioning from being a learner to a student can be an intimidating experience for others. First-year students enrolled in programming module at higher education institutions often struggle to grasp concepts taught while navigating the difficulties of adapting to the university environment. This theoretical paper discusses the challenges faced by first-year students in programming courses. Such challenges hinder the commencement of subsequent classes, which depend on the foundational concepts taught. Constructivist learning theory is adopted in the study as it enables students to build their understanding of the world through activities. Constructivism, shaped by Jean Piaget, maintains that students construct their knowledge rather than receiving it passively from the environment. This study adopted a desktop literature review methodology to explore the existing knowledge on challenges experienced by first-year students in the programming module. Literature was conducted from several databases, including Google Scholar, Scopus, ProQuest, and ScienceDirect. This paper addresses two key questions: What challenges do first-year students encounter in the programming module, and how can educators effectively support them? The study highlights that constructivism can help first-year students understand programming concepts by constructing meaning of what they have learned. Grasping the theoretical aspects and a lack of sufficient problem-solving skills are some challenges identified. The paper contends that the challenges experienced by first-year students in the programming module can be mitigated through the application of constructivism by assisting students to develop computational thinking skills. Some strategies to address the identified challenges include improving teaching methods and incorporating gamification into programming classes.