Investigating Student Performance on Programming Questions of the Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles Exam

• In Event: 31.034 - Pedagogy and Literacy in Engineering and Computer Science Contexts

Abstract

The success of block-based programming environments has resulted in a growing plurality of introductory programming tools and modalities in computer science classrooms. In response, computer science exam often need to evaluate students’ understanding of programming concepts using both block-based and text-based presentations of short programs. In this paper, we seek to understand the implications of this assessment strategy. To do so, we analyze responses from over 5,000 students to a 20 item assessment that included both block-based and text-based questions written in a pseudocode developed for a nationally administered computer science course. Our analysis shows students performing better on questions presented using the block-based form compared to text-based questions across conceptual categories.

Authors

• David Weintrop, University of Maryland - College Park

• Heather Killen, University of Maryland - College Park

• Talal Munzar, University of Maryland - College Park

• Baker Franke, Code.org