The Importance of Practical Work for the Quality of the Professional Module

It is generally believed that students tend to forget the things they hear and see quicker than the practical things they have to do themselves. Therefore, the focus of the professional module 'Programming' is on practical work, while theory and practice intertwine in a way that the teacher acts more as a mentor, not merely a provider of the learning content. In the module, we use a computer classroom, where every student has his or her own workplace with a computer. One of the students works on the professor's computer while his work is being projected on the board. While paying attention to what the schoolmate at the teacher's desk is doing, other students are trying to do the task individually and/or find their own solutions. Students take turns in working on the professor's computer, every lesson it is someone else's turn. By doing so, they not only gain knowledge, but social skills of presenting and performing as well. The aim of the lessons is mainly to collectively search for solutions. Everyone can suggest an idea for an algorithm, while the student at the teacher's desk is the realizer of those ideas and, of course, the creator. This way every student gets an opportunity to work in front of others, with better students helping and advising weaker students and also getting a chance to show their knowledge to others. Compared to students who learn programming without the use of computer, it has been shown that computer is a valuable device not only for the purpose of gaining knowledge but also for making gained knowledge long-lasting.