ERIC Number: EJ1207478
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Jan
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-2513-8359
EISSN: N/A
"Cowboy" and "Cowgirl" Programming and Success in College Computer Science
Chen, Chen; Jeckel, Stuart; Sonnert, Gerhard; Sadler, Philip M.
International Journal of Computer Science Education in Schools, v2 n4 Jan 2019
This study examines the relationship between students' pre-college experience with computers and their later success in introductory computer science classes in college. Data were drawn from a nationally representative sample of 10,197 students enrolled in computer science at 118 colleges and universities in the United States. We found that students taking introductory college computer science classes who had programmed on their own prior to college had a more positive attitude toward computer science, lower odds of dropping out, and earned higher grades, compared with students who had learned to program in a pre-college class, but had never programmed on own, or those who had never learned programming before college. Moreover, nearly half of the effect on final grades was mediated by a positive attitude toward computing.
Descriptors: Computer Science Education, Programming, Academic Achievement, College Students, Correlation, Introductory Courses, Predictor Variables, Positive Attitudes
International Journal of Computer Science Education in Schools. 83 Dollis Road, London N3 1RD, UK. 2-mail: info@ijcses.org; Web site: http://www.ijcses.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Massachusetts (Cambridge)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A