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Computer assisted assessment of SQL query skills

Published: 30 March 2007 Publication History

Abstract

Structured Query Language (SQL) is the dominant language for querying relational databases today, and is an essential topic in introductory database courses in higher education. Even though the language is syntactically simple, relatively concise, and highly structured, students experience many difficulties while learning to express queries in SQL. In recent years a small number of software tools have been proposed to help students learn to write query statements and to assess their querying skills.
In this paper we compare and evaluate existing tools mainly from the perspective of database theory and practice, but also from a pedagogical perspective. Addressing the deficiencies and opportunities uncovered by the evaluation, we then introduce SQLify, a new tool that extends the current state of the art by incorporating semantic feedback, enhanced automatic assessment based on database theory, and peer review to arrive at a richer learning experience for students, as well as consistent assessment results and reduced marking for instructors.

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Cited By

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  • (2018)SQL tester: an online SQL assessment tool and its impactProceedings of the 23rd Annual ACM Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education10.1145/3197091.3197124(87-92)Online publication date: 2-Jul-2018
  • (2014)Formulating second-order logic conditions in SQLProceedings of the 15th Annual Conference on Information technology education10.1145/2656450.2656452(115-120)Online publication date: 14-Oct-2014
  • (2013)Automated grading and tutoring of SQL statements to improve student learningProceedings of the 13th Koli Calling International Conference on Computing Education Research10.1145/2526968.2526986(161-168)Online publication date: 14-Nov-2013
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    Published In

    cover image DL Hosted proceedings
    ADC '07: Proceedings of the eighteenth conference on Australasian database - Volume 63
    March 2007
    158 pages
    ISBN:1920682449

    Publisher

    Australian Computer Society, Inc.

    Australia

    Publication History

    Published: 30 March 2007

    Author Tags

    1. SQL
    2. computer assisted learning and assessment
    3. conjunctive queries
    4. query equivalence

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    ADC '07
    ADC '07: Australasian database
    January 30 - February 2, 2007
    Victoria, Ballarat, Australia

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    Overall Acceptance Rate 98 of 224 submissions, 44%

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    View all
    • (2018)SQL tester: an online SQL assessment tool and its impactProceedings of the 23rd Annual ACM Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education10.1145/3197091.3197124(87-92)Online publication date: 2-Jul-2018
    • (2014)Formulating second-order logic conditions in SQLProceedings of the 15th Annual Conference on Information technology education10.1145/2656450.2656452(115-120)Online publication date: 14-Oct-2014
    • (2013)Automated grading and tutoring of SQL statements to improve student learningProceedings of the 13th Koli Calling International Conference on Computing Education Research10.1145/2526968.2526986(161-168)Online publication date: 14-Nov-2013
    • (2010)Empirical evidence for the usefulness of Armstrong relations in the acquisition of meaningful functional dependenciesInformation Systems10.1016/j.is.2009.11.00235:3(352-374)Online publication date: 1-May-2010
    • (2007)An evaluation of electronic individual peer assessment in an introductory programming courseProceedings of the Seventh Baltic Sea Conference on Computing Education Research - Volume 8810.5555/2449323.2449330(53-64)Online publication date: 15-Nov-2007

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