Story-Based Tasks with Console Visualization in the C# Programming Course as a Way to Activate Creative Independent Work of Students

The article addresses the relevant problem of activating independent cognitive activity of future teachers of computer science within their professional training at a pedagogical university. As a tool to achieve this purpose, the authors propose the use of specially designed story-based tasks with console visualization, solved using the C# programming language.
The purpose of the study is to examine the features of using the C# programming language in the context of training future teachers of computer science, to identify the advantages and disadvantages of this choice, and to propose an approach to enhancing the effectiveness of the educational process through the introduction of story-based, practice-oriented tasks with console graphical output. These tasks are related to modeling game situations and developing application architecture. Such tasks are primarily intended to be solved by the most successful students and capable of programming. Particular attention is paid to the issues of student motivation and the development of their creative abilities.
The research methodology includes an analysis of existing approaches to teaching programming and trends in the choice of programming languages for teaching in schools and pedagogical universities; identifying the capabilities of the C# language, its place in the professional training of teachers, and elements of the content of teaching programming in this language; the development of educational tasks; and conducting a pedagogical experiment. The introduction of story-based tasks with console visualization is aimed not only at increasing cognitive motivation but also at the comprehensive development of programming skills in a modern high-level language. An important aspect is that students gain experience working in both procedural and object-oriented paradigms, which contributes to the formation of a flexible and deep understanding of software development principles. This, in turn, increases the competitiveness of future teachers in the labor market by introducing them to a tool in demand in the real IT industry.
The novelty of the paper consists, firstly, in a focused consideration of the C# language, which, being in demand in the professional environment, remains on the periphery of methodological research in the field of computer science teaching. Secondly, it lies in the authors’ original methodological developments – a system of story-based tasks adapted for C# with an emphasis on console visualization. This approach allows for overcoming limitations associated with the shortage of classroom time and focusing on the development of algorithmic and systems thinking. The developed set of tasks is based on fundamental pedagogical principles, including the principle of gradual complication (L. Vygotsky), the principle of contextual learning (A. Verbitsky), and the principle of productive constraints (S. Papert), which ensures its methodological validity.
The approbation of the proposed approach, conducted at Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University, confirmed its effectiveness in organizing creative independent work of students. Although only a small number of students chose these tasks, this target group demonstrated significant progress in professional development. The most successful participants not only solved all the proposed tasks but also subsequently applied the acquired experience in teaching practice and course projects. Thus, the developed set of tasks has proven its practical significance and can be recommended for the use in the training of future computer science teachers, as well as for working with motivated school students who show an increased interest in programming.

1. Kol’tsova K.I. Using Story-Based Tasks in Teaching Python Programming. Informatika v shkole = Computer Science at School. 2023; 2(180): 7–12. DOI: 10.32517/2221-1993-2023-22-1-7-12. (In Russ.)

2. Pavlov D.I., Butarev K.V., Balashova Ye.V. On the Prospects of Using Gamification Technologies in Early Learning of Object-Oriented Programming. Sovremennyye informatsionnyye tekhnologii i ITobrazovaniye = Modern Information Technologies and IT Education. 2018; 14(4): 977–985. DOI: 10.25559/SITITO.14.201804.977-985. (In Russ.)

3. Sokolova A.N., Shalaginova N.V. Story-based tasks as a means of motivating schoolchildren in learning the basics of programming. III Mezhdunarodnaya mezhdistsiplinarnaya konferentsiya «Problemy teorii i praktiki innovatsionnogo razvitiya i integratsii sovremennoy nauki i obrazovaniya» = III International Interdisciplinary Conference «Problems of Theory and Practice of Innovative Development and Integration of Modern Science and Education» (Moscow, February 16, 2022). Moscow: Moscow State Regional University; 2022: 178–184. (In Russ.)

4. Sokolova A.N., Shalaginova N.V. Using practice-oriented tasks in teaching high school students programming in Python. IV Mezhdunarodnaya mezhdistsiplinarnaya konferentsiya «Problemy teorii i praktiki innovatsionnogo razvitiya i integratsii sovremennoy nauki i obrazovaniya» = IV International Interdisciplinary Conference «Problems of Theory and Practice of Innovative Development and Integration of Modern Science and Education» (Moscow, February 15, 2023). Moscow: State University of Education; 2024: 276-281. (In Russ.)

5. Giannakos M.N., Jaccheri L. From players to makers: An empirical examination of factors that affect creative game development. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction. 2018; 18: 27–36. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcci.2018.06.002.

6. Lavina T.A., Mytnikova Ye.A., Yarus’kina Ye.T. Programming training for bachelors in Software Engineering, taking into account the concept of an integrated approach to engineering education. Sovremennyye naukoyemkiye tekhnologii = Modern Science-Intensive Technologies. 2023; 7: 160–166. DOI: 10.17513/snt.39712. (In Russ.)

7. Zav’yalova O.A., Markelov V.K. Possibilities of Online Programming Environments in Teaching Python at School. Informatika v shkole = Computer Science at School. 2022; 3(176): 75–82. DOI: 10.32517/2221-1993-2022-21-3-75-82. (In Russ.)

8. Kozlov O.A., Barysheva I.V., Malkina Ye.V., Shestakova N.V. Teaching Schoolchildren Programming as Part of the Subject «Computer Science»: Problems and Possible Solutions. Informatika v shkole = Computer Science at School. 2023; 184(5): 67–73. DOI: 10.32517/2221-1993-2023-22-5-67-73. (In Russ.)

9. Krivoplyasova Ye.V., Nefodova V.Yu., Prilepina A.V. Methods of Teaching the Basics of Programming in Python. Informatika v shkole = Computer Science at School. 2020; 3(156): 24–30. DOI: 10.32517/2221-1993-2020-19-3-24-30. (In Russ.)

10. Markelov V.K., Zav’yalova O.A. The Python Programming Language as an Alternative Tool for Solving Unified State Exam Tasks in Computer Science. Informatika v shkole = Computer Science at School. 2023; 2(181): 63–72. DOI: 10.32517/2221-1993-2023-22-2-63-72. (In Russ.)

11. Panova I.V., Kolivnyk A.A. Methodological Aspects of Teaching Python Programming in a School Computer Science Course. Informatika v shkole = Computer Science at School. 2020; 6(159): 47-50. DOI: 10.32517/2221-1993-2020-19-6-47-50. (In Russ.)

12. Pustyl’nik Yu.Yu., Chmykhova Ye.V., Sal’tseva A.D., Doduyeva S.Zh. Practices for Studying Programming Languages in Russian Schools: Results of a Pilot Study. Sbornik analiticheskikh materialov «Pedagogicheskiye praktiki podgotovki shkol’nikov k olimpiade po iskusstvennomu intellektu» = Collection of Analytical Materials «Pedagogical Practices for Preparing Schoolchildren for the Artificial Intelligence Olympiad «. Moscow: Institute for Development Strategy, Russian Academy of Education; 2022: 37–52. (In Russ.)

13. Somin M.S., Fedchenko G.M. Teaching Python Programming as a First Language. Vserossiyskaya nauchno-prakticheskaya konferentsiya «Aktual’nyye problemy obucheniya matematike, informatike, ekonomike i yestestvennonauchnym distsiplinam v sredney i vysshey shkole» = All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conference «Actual Problems of Teaching Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics, and Natural Sciences in Secondary and Higher Schools» – Ed. N. V. Ermak (Blagoveshchensk, March 25, 2019). Blagoveshchensk: Blagoveshchensk State Pedagogical University; 2019: 225–228. (In Russ.)

14. Samylkina N.N. Basic Approaches to Building the Structure and Content of an Advanced School Computer Science Course. Nauka i shkola = Science and School. 2019; 6: 171–182. DOI: 10.31862/1819-463X-2019-6-171-182. (In Russ.)

15. Samylkina N.N. Structure and Content of Digital Competencies Developed in Pre-Professional Training. Informatika v shkole = Computer Science at School. 2020; 4(157): 11–19. DOI: 10.32517/2221-1993-2020-19-4-11-19. (In Russ.)

16. Kheylsberg A., Torgersen M., Viltamut S., Gold P. YAzyk programmirovaniya C#. Klassika Computers Science. 4-ye izd. = The C# Programming Language. Computer Science Classics. 4th ed. Saint Petersburg: Piter; 2012. 784 p. (In Russ.)

17. Nigmatulina E.A., Pak N.I. Student-Centered Teaching of Programming in a Pedagogical University. Informatika i obrazovaniye = Computer Science and Education. 2017; 2(281): 8–14. (In Russ.)

18. Mingaleyeva L.B., Kiamova N.I. Developing console applications in C# when studying the discipline «Programming in high-level languages». Problemy sovremennogo pedagogicheskogo obrazovaniya = Problems of modern pedagogical education. 2017; 55-11: 90–97. (In Russ.)

19. Belyayeva M.B., Il’yasova Ye.A., Kalyakina Ye.A., Savinkova M.M. Methodological recommendations for the use of entertaining tasks in computer science lessons. Vestnik pedagogicheskikh nauk = Bulletin of pedagogical sciences. 2023; 7: 168–174. (In Russ.)

20. Zubrilin A.A., Zubrilina M.S. Using game elements in extracurricular activities in computer science. Informatika v shkole = Computer science at school. 2022; 4(177): 28–35. DOI: 10.32517/2221-1993-2022-21-4-28-35. (In Russ.)

21. Seydametova S., Ismailova A.R. Methodological recommendations for the use of entertaining tasks in computer science. Informatsionno-komp’yuternyye tekhnologii v ekonomike, obrazovanii i sotsial’noy sfere = Information and computer technologies in economics, education and social sphere. 2018; 22(4): 101–106. (In Russ.)

22. Rogozhkina I.B. Developmental effect of teaching programming: psychological and pedagogical aspects. Psikhologiya. Zhurnal Vysshey shkoly ekonomiki = Psychology. Journal of the Higher School of Economics. 2012; 9(2): 141–148. (In Russ.)

23. Ding A. C. E., Yu C. H. Serious game-based learning and learning by making games: Types of game-based pedagogies and student gaming hours impact students’ science learning outcomes. Computers & Education. 2024: 218. DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2024.105075.

24. Sidorenko D.V., Bikmullina I.I. A Game-Based Method of Teaching the C# Language. Nauchno-tekhnicheskiy vestnik Povolzh’ya = Scientific and Technical Bulletin of the Volga Region. 2023; 12: 107–109. (In Russ.)

25. Shkarban F.V. Teaching Object-Oriented Programming to Bachelors of Applied Computer Science: Implementation of a Learning Model Based on Two Coordinated Disciplines. Vestnik Rossiyskogo universiteta druzhby narodov. Seriya: Informatizatsiya obrazovaniya = Bulletin of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia. Series: Informatization of Education. 2018; 15(4): 388–397. DOI: 10.22363/2312-8631-2018-15-4-388-397. (In Russ.)

26. Corral J.M. R, Balcells A.C., Estevez A.M., Moreno G.J., Ramos M.J. F. A game-based approach to the teaching of object-oriented programming languages. Computers & Education. 2014; 73: 83–92. DOI: 10.1016/j.compedu.2013.12.013.

27. Vygotskiy L.S. Myshleniye i rech’ = Thinking and Speech. Moscow; Leningrad: State Educational and Pedagogical Publishing House; 1934. 324 p. (In Russ.)

28. Verbitskiy A.A. Competence-based approach and the theory of contextual learning: Proceedings for the fourth meeting of the methodological seminar on November 16, 2004. Moscow: Research Center for Problems of the Quality of Specialist Training; 2004. 84 p. (In Russ.)

29. Peypert S. Perevorot v soznanii: Deti, komp’yutery i plodotvornyye idei = Revolution in consciousness: Children, computers and fruitful ideas. Moscow: Pedagogy; 1989. 224 p. (In Russ.)