Leren programmeren in het Voortgezet Onderwijs: Probleemoplossen met SQL

Tijdschrift voor Didactiek van de Beta-wetenschappen, uitgegeven door het Freudenthal Instituut, Universiteit Utrecht in de periode 1983-2014

Van Dijk, E. M. A. G. Krammer, H. P. M. Van Merrienboer, J. J. G. Tijdschrift voor Didactiek van de Beta-wetenschappen 1989 – 7(2), 97-114 Download pdf

The claim that computer programming enhances problem solving skills is one of the main arguments to teach imperative, general-purpose languages (e.g. BASIC, Pascal) in secondary education. However, evidence is beginning to accumulate that imperative languages are inappropriate for educational demands. Reported learning outcomes have been rather disappointing, and there is yet little evidence for transfer of acquired skills to other domains. In this article, it will be argued that a database query language such as SQL is more appropriate to teach introductory programming in secondary education. Working with SQL only requires a very simple mental model and its syntax is easy to learn, so that full attention can be given to problem solving itself; this enhances the possibility of transfer to other domains. Moreover, in the near future only specialists will write programs in imperative languages, whereas SQL is likely to become an important, widely used language.