Measuring Hierarchical Levels of Programming Knowledge

This article describes the development and implementation of the Algorithmic Process Test (APT), an instrument that measures the achievement of semantic programming knowledge among novice programmers. The APT measures three distinct components of semantic programming knowledge, the attributes of which are discussed in detail in the article. An implementation among 101 sixteen-year-old novice programmers provided strong evidence of developmental levels among the three knowledge components of the APT. Among this sample of students, it was also found that there was strong achievement in the lower levels of semantic programming knowledge, but few students demonstrated achievement at the highest level despite its critical importance for programming success.