Self-efficacy, or the belief in one's ability to accomplish a task or achieve a goal, can significantly influence the effectiveness of various instructional methods to induce learning gains. The importance of self-efficacy is particularly pronounced in complex subjects like Computer Science, where students with high self-efficacy are more likely…

Recent years have seen a growing interest in block-based programming environments for computer science education. While these environments hold significant potential for novice programmers, they lack the adaptive support necessary to accommodate students exhibiting a wide range of initial capabilities and dispositions toward computing. A promising…

Decades of research on engagement, retention, and under-representation in STEM conclude that a better understanding of learner development as a long-term, social process is needed. Social identity theory is increasingly used to understand the interplay between individual development and social structure. The present report summarises findings from…

The impact of a novice programmer's first language on their subsequent achievement in further computing education has been the subject of much study in the field of computer science education. Our research is a retrospective study of more than 10,000 undergraduate students enrolled in CS1 (introduction to computer programming) from 118 US college…

The present paper introduces some strategies used in teaching an Informatics course for non-IT first year university students. The strategies were developed during several years, using the main principles of flexible and blended learning. The methodology has been based on the results of experiments with students from social sciences, economics and…

The background of 197 university students from four introductory computer science classes at the State University of New York at Buffalo was investigated to determine factors contributing to academic success or failure in computer science. A background questionnaire, a test of computer science concepts (reading a simple program, symbol…

This study was conducted to investigate the microcomputer experience of female preservice teachers. A questionnaire developed to evaluate prior computer experiences of teacher education students enrolled in an educational technology and media course was administered during the first week of class. The sample included 40 males and 215 females.…

This paper reports on the results of a preliminary investigation of the extent to which first-year students entering a university during the summer, who enroll in the introductory information systems course in a college of business, meet the requirements for the course upon entrance. A second objective is to recommend a course of action to be…

This study evaluated the computer skills and learning expectations of students in an introductory course at a regional university in the southeastern United States. A survey was administered to 595 students enrolled in sections of the Introduction to Computer Information Systems (CIS) course. The survey instrument charted such things as major and…