Innovative Methods in Computer Science Education

Abstract

With the appearance of rapid technological changes, the culture of receiving and communicating information, as well as attention, has also changed. Some of the pedagogical methods that were well-proven a few decades ago have now become obsolete. It is important to replace them with new methods that are related to the views of the Z and alpha generations. This chapter deals with the innovation of the ELTE IK Computer Science B.Sc. subject. My innovations are related to the method of digital storytelling and gamification. Besides a brief description of the methods, I will present the changes implemented in my courses, such as making videos or the use of edutainment applications. My innovations have been studied over five semesters, researching students’ feedback on the changes and modifying some elements based on students’ feedback. Furthermore, I was also curious about the changes’ impact on students’ results. From my research, it is clear that the introduced tools motivated the students to spend more time learning the subject, leading to deeper mastery.