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Journal Article

Learning to Code Through Web Audio: A Team-Based Learning Approach

Authors: Xambó, Anna; Støckert, Robin; Jensenius, Alexander Refsum; Saue, Sigurd

Journal of the Audio Engineering Society · Volume 68 · Issue 10 · pp. 727–737 · October 2020

Abstract

In this article, we discuss the challenges and opportunities provided by teaching programming using web audio technologies and adopting a team-based learning (TBL) approach among a mix of colocated and remote students, mostly novices in programming. The course has been designed for cross-campus teaching and teamwork, in alignment with the two-city master's program in which it has been delivered. We present the results and findings from (1) students' feedback; (2) software complexity metrics; (3) students' blog posts; and (4) teacher's reflections. We found that the nature of web audio as a browser-based environment, coupled with the collaborative nature of the course, was suitable for improving the students' level of confidence about their abilities in programming. This approach promoted the creation of group course projects of a certain level of complexity, based on the students' interests and programming levels. We discuss the challenges of this approach, such as supporting smooth cross-campus interactions and assuring students' preknowledge in web technologies (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript) for an optimal experience. We conclude by envisioning the scalability of this course to other distributed and remote learning scenarios in academic and professional settings. This is in line with the foreseen future scenario of cross-site interaction mediated through code.

Details

Publication
Journal of the Audio Engineering Society
Volume
68
Issue
10
Pages
727–737
Publication date
October 6, 2020
Affiliation
Music, Technology and Innovation - Institute for Sonic Creativity (MTI2), De Montfort University, Leicester, UK; Department of Music, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; RITMO, Department of Musicology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway (See document for exact affiliation information.)
Type
Journal Article