Contextualized Narratives in Programming Problem Definition: A Literature Review

• Hemilis J. B. Rocha Federal Institute of Alagoas
• Evandro B. Costa Federal University of Alagoas
• Gabriela A. B. Tenório Federal University of Alagoas
• Marta M. Nascimento Federal University of Alagoas
• Maria A. S. Nascimento Federal University of Alagoas
• Davi S. M. Lins Federal University of Alagoas

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/sbie.2024.242489

Abstract

Contextualizing problem situations has been a promising strategy for mitigating students’ difficulties in solving programming problems. This study explores how the literature on computing education has addressed the use of contextualized narratives in problem specification and their effects on learning. The systematic literature review revealed mixed results: while some studies point to significant benefits, others do not identify substantial differences. Furthermore, the effects of narratives seem to depend on specific variables, with some studies showing improvements in problem-solving and others observing an increase in task execution time.

Keywords: Contextualized Narratives, Programming, Literature Review

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