Implementation of the gradual release of responsibility informed curriculum and pedagogy for teaching programming: Action research based on a course for sport science students

Abstract

Non-computer science students typically find it challenging to learn programming and lack the motivation to learn it. We conducted a piece of action research to examine the impact of adopting the Gradual Release of Responsibility (GROR) approach as we taught programming to thirty-three sport science students in a Taiwanese university over two semesters. Learning self-efficacy, engagement, and burnout were assessed before and after the course. The results showed significant interaction effect between time (pre vs post) and groups (proactive vs apathetic) factors (F(1, 31) = 4.49, p = .042, ηp2 = 0.13) for self-efficacy. Implications of the findings were discussed.