Article Gold Open Access 2025

A Practice-Oriented Approach to Teaching Python Programming for University Students

Open Education Studies
Journal · Vol. 7 · Issue 1 · Art. 20250099
Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a practice-oriented approach in teaching Python programming to students in Kazakhstan. The study participants comprised students from a control group (CG) and an experimental group (EG), with 89 students in each group. The mean age of the participants was 20 years. The sample included 93 male students and 85 female students. The CG followed a traditional teaching methodology, whereas the EG was instructed using an innovative approach. The applied research methods included theoretical and practical tests, surveys, and interviews with instructors. The results demonstrated that the average score in the theoretical test increased from 67.8 to 82.1 (p = 0.0001) for the EG, whereas the CG’s score improved from 65.2 to 71.3 (p = 0.0002). During practical testing, the average score for the EG rose from 70.7 to 81.9 (p = 0.0003), while the CG’s score increased from 70.1 to 77.3 (p = 0.0001). The findings suggest that the practice-oriented approach contributes to the enhancement of theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and student engagement in Python programming education. The practical significance of the results lies in determining the effectiveness of innovative teaching methods in fostering both theoretical and practical competencies. © 2025 the author(s), published by De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston.

Keywords

Author Keywords

Project-Based Learning practice-based learning approach programming curriculum programming skills development student education

Index Keywords

Author Affiliations
Department of Computer Science, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan
Department of Computer Science, Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Turkistan, Turkistan, Kazakhstan
Department of Visual Arts, Mukhtar Auezov South Kazakhstan University, Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Funding & Acknowledgements
No funding information
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