It is difficult to learn professional courses such as Computer Science without hands-on activities with appropriate technical support. Computer Science programming courses are the core of a Computer Science qualificat...
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It is difficult to learn professional courses such as Computer Science without hands-on activities with appropriate technical support. Computer Science programming courses are the core of a Computer Science qualification and some of the learning outcomes of a Computer Science programming course are writing program code, program testing and debugging. Inadequate computers in the computer laboratory and policies that restrict the concept of Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) inside the computer laboratory posed a challenge to hands-on programming activities. However, students in the Computer Science department at the University of Jos learn computer-coding theory, but unable to have hands-on experience due to several reasons. This research investigates how use of virtual lab on Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) could enhance students acquisition of Java programming skills. The virtual lab provides a lab environment for students to practice programming and experiment concepts learned. Activity Theory was used as a theoretical framework to analyse the activity of Java programming on the virtual lab. Seven participants including the lecturer were enrolled on the Java programming Language virtual lab practical sessions for this research work. The research activity system focuses on Java hands-on programming tasks for a period of three weeks and after that data was collected using interview and content generated from the virtual lab activities chats and forum. Interview questions were developed and administered to students, while a semi- structured interview with the lecturer was conducted. iii The data collected from the interviews and the contents collated from chats and forum activities were coded using ICT data analysis tool Nvivo, based on thematic analysis. The data was thoroughly reviewed, explained, interpreted, and analysed using the theoretical framework, activity theory. The results show that the virtual lab helped students perform practical programming acti
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