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This study was designed to determine whether any combination of treatment (Pascal, Prolog, or no computer language), cognitive development level (concrete or transitional), and/or gender had any effect on high school students' problem-solving skills. The research design was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with nonequivalent groups. Statistical techniques used in the study were multiple regression and analysis of covariance. The covariate was students' problem-solving skills as measured by the pretest.
A preliminary analysis of data determined that grade, ethnicity, minority, gender, and curriculum choice did not affect the subjects' performance on the posttest. Those variables that did affect subjects' performance on the posttest were treatment, cognitive development level, and grade level. Results show that instruction in the logical computer programming language (Prolog), but not the procedural computer programming language (Pascal), was a significant factor in increasing subjects' problem-solving skills over subjects' receiving word processing instruction. Results from the ANCOVA showed no interactions among the variables.
Results of the present study revealed that subjects who received instruction in the logical programming language Prolog had a significant increase in problem-solving skills while those receiving instruction in the procedural programming language Pascal and those in the control group did not. Results of this study suggest that the logical programming language Prolog is more effective than the procedural programming language Pascal when trying to increase the problem-solving skills of high school students, at least when compared to students' receiving instruction in word processing.
Findings from the present study and prior studies seem to provide evidence that, under the appropriate conditions, instruction in computer programming can lead to an increase in subjects' problem-solving skills. Based on the findings of the study, future research questions should focus on the type of language that is used, the type of instruction that is used, and the length of time for such instruction. In future studies concerning subjects' problem-solving skills, the cognitive level of the subjects should be taken into account.
The present study indicated that Prolog may be beneficial in increasing students' problem-solving skills. Future studies could also be conducted to see if instruction in Prolog would be beneficial in increasing students' level of cognitive development.