Asterisk as a Tool to Aid in Learning to Program

Abstract

Programming is a key subject in many engineering programs. Students often perceive it as a difficult skill to master. There is extensive literature on helping students learn and improve to program, most of which focuses on K-12 education. However, due to the current demand for workers with programming skills, more research must be conducted on techniques for learning programming at the higher education level. In this work, an analysis and evaluation of the usefulness of an Asterisk Private Branch Exchange (PBX) as an educational tool to improve the programming skills of students in higher education is presented. The study worked with undergraduate students in telecommunications engineering, with little work experience in programming, during the completion of their final year project. Results suggest that using Asterisk has a positive impact on the students’ perception of their programming knowledge and skills, as well as an increment in the interest and comfort regarding programming.

Utilization of Immersive Virtual Reality as an Interactive Method of Assignment Presentation

“…The versatility of virtual reality enables it to be used in various ways and circumstances [1]. Its high level of immersion and interactivity creates a great foundation for effective teaching [2][3][4][5][6], simulation [7,8] or development methods [9][10][11]. Especially in education, the novelty of virtual reality may be the selling point to catch the attention of the students [12].…”