This dissertation presents the results and outcomes of an effort to design educational tools and curriculum to improve student learning in introductory programming courses. The work was conducted at the University of California, Merced (UC Merced), situated in the Central Valley of California, and home to a diverse student population. The findings…

Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) has been denominated as the third pillar of science and as a set of important skills to solve the problems of a global society. Along with the theoretical and the experimental approaches, computation offers a third alternative to solve complex problems that require processing large amounts of data, or…

With the high influx of computer science enrollment in universities in the last decade, there is increasing value and wide-reaching effects in improving pedagogy in the field. This improvement is especially useful in introductory computer science courses (CS1). Student experience in the first programming course is known to heavily influence…

The educational system has been challenging children through competitive societal information-age education by promoting achievement among students, in preparing children for global excellence. This qualitative research case study of elementary school children's lack in cybersecurity knowledge and awareness served helpful with exploration into…

In this dissertation, I explored the pedagogical content knowledge of in-service high school educators recently assigned to teach computer science for the first time. Teachers were participating in a professional development program where they co-taught introductory computing classes with tech industry professionals. The study was motivated by…

Cloud computing applications have a profound presence in educational institutions, yet educators may not be utilizing the digital tools to their full potential. This study helped fill a gap in current literature regarding secondary teachers' acceptance and use of cloud computing applications in instruction. The purpose of this qualitative…

The goal of the dissertation study was to evaluate the existing DG scheduling algorithm. The evaluation was developed through previously explored simulated analyses of DGs performed by researchers in the field of DG scheduling optimization and to improve the current RT framework of the DG at TTU. The author analyzed the RT of an actual DG, thereby…

This study examined the academic preparation and job skill needs of information systems program graduates from institutions in an Eastern state, from their perspective. A historical review of the literature surrounding IS skill requirements was conducted for this study to provide the changes in IS over the past several decades. Providing a…

To meet a growing demand and a projected deficit in the supply of computer professionals (NCWIT, 2009), it is of vital importance to expand students' access to computer science. However, many researchers in the computer science education community unproductively assume that some students lack an innate ability for computer science and…

Previous studies have examined the curricula of information systems technology (IST) programs, and some have noted a discrepancy between the stated needs of industry and the skills and attributes of graduates of 4-year programs. In addition, gaps between the 2-year curricula and the perceived needs of employers have been noted. The purpose of this…

Digital technologies allow people with disabilities to participate independently in society in ways they never could before. The full realization of these new opportunities remains elusive, though, because working professionals in the information and communication technology (ICT) field rarely receive adequate training in how to make digital ICT…

Educators in many disciplines are too often forced to rely on intuition about how students learn and the effectiveness of teaching to guide changes and improvements to their curricula. In computer science, systems that perform automated collection and assessment of programming assignments are seeing increased adoption, and these systems generate a…

This study attempts to determine if authentic learning strategies can be used to acquire knowledge of and increase motivation for computational thinking. Over 600 students enrolled in a computer literacy course participated in this study which involved completing a pretest, posttest and motivation survey. The students were divided into an…

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore and analyze a domain of research thought to be shared by two areas of philosophy: computational and digital ontology. Computational ontology is philosophy used to develop information systems also called computational ontologies. Digital ontology is philosophy dealing with our understanding of Being…

Computing occupations are among the fastest growing in the U.S. and technological innovations are central to solving world problems. Yet only our most privileged students are learning to use technology for creative purposes through rigorous computer science education opportunities. In order to increase access for diverse students and females who…