This is so spot on. I teach CS as well and just taking a problem and dividing it into small tasks to be solved is something many students struggle with even near the end of our programme. This "mental leap" (the bridge between the problem and the steps to solve it using code) is the real barrier in my opinion. Most students won't have a problem understanding a solution when presented with it and wrongly thinks that just understanding a solution is the end goal, when arriving at it is the real challenge.
I agree. To me, it's the only approach, but I've been doing it for so long. On some level, the students understand this as well, but doing it is a different matter, especially when it comes to programming. I teach on some very practice-orientated higher education programmes in Denmark at the level of a bachelor's degree. We tend to get different types of students than those who would apply for a bachelor's degree at one of our universities, which could also be part of the explanation.
