An implementation of structured walk-throughs in teaching Cobol programming

The effectiveness of structured walk-throughs in teaching introductory Cobol programming was empirically assessed with a sample of 215 undergraduate business administration majors. Cobol proficiency was measured by a final examination testing (a) knowledge of language rules, (b) ability to read and debug a program, and (c) the ability to write a program. Analysis of multiple covariance was used to statistically adjust test scores for age and conditional reasoning scores. The findings provide empirical support for incorporating structured walk-throughs into the programming learning process to more effectively develop student proficiency in writing Cobol programs.