Exploring the Relationship Between Computer Science Students' Perceived Needs and Their Academic Success

• In Event: 51.081 - Sheraton Roundtable Session Nine - Grand Centre
  In Roundtable Session: 51.081-3 - Multiple Strategies for Academic Success in College

Abstract

This exploratory research investigates students’ (N = 608) perceived needs across many areas when entering a college Computer Science (CS) program and how they are associated with their subsequent performance in core CS courses. This is a holistic approach that aims to understand the primary concerns of students entering CS and how these perceived needs predict CS academic performance for students of different backgrounds. Most research up to this point correlates self-efficacy to performance in an introductory CS course, generically referred to as CS1, whereas this research integrates performance in multiple courses over two years in five courses which build upon one another to form the core curriculum of all students in the CS program.

Authors

• Amy Dunford, Purdue University

• Xintong Zheng, Purdue University

• Muhsin Menekse, Purdue University

• Rebecca Wasserott, Purdue University