Title: Teaching methods are erroneous: approaches which lead to erroneous end-user computing,
Abstract: If spreadsheets are not erroneous then who, or what, is? Research has found
that end-users are. If end-users are erroneous then why are they? Research has
found that responsibility lies with human beings' fast and slow thinking modes
and the inappropriate way they use them. If we are aware of this peculiarity of
human thinking, then why do we not teach students how to train their brains?
This is the main problem, this is the weakest link in the process: teaching. We
have to make teachers realize that end-users are erroneous because of the
erroneous teaching approaches to end-user computing. The proportion of fast and
slow thinking modes is not constant, and teachers are mistaken when they apply
the same proportion in both the teaching and end-user roles. Teachers should
believe in the incremental nature of science and have high self-efficacy to
make students understand and appreciate science. This is not currently the case
in ICT and CS, and it is high time fundamental changes were introduced.