Computational thinking and assignment resubmission predict persistence in a computer science MOOC

Massive open online course (MOOC) studies have shown that precourse skills (such as precomputational thinking) and course engagement measures (such as making multiple submission attempts with assignments when the initial submission is incorrect) predict students' grade performance, yet little is known about whether these factors predict students' course retention. In applying survival analysis to a sample of more than 20,000 participants from one popular computer science MOOC, we found that students' precomputational thinking skills and their perseverance in assignment submission strongly predict their persistence in the MOOC. Moreover, we discovered that precomputational thinking skills, programming experience, and gender, which were previously considered to be constant predictors of students' retention, have effects that attenuate over the course milestones. This finding suggests that MOOC educators should take a growth perspective towards students' persistence: As students overcome the initial hurdles, their resilience grows stronger.     

基于Linux系统分析计算机C语言编程技巧

C语言程序设计是高效计算机专业学生必修的一门基础课程,同时也是后续课程的入门课程,对于掌握基本计算机技术有着重要意义。尤其在Linux系统下,该系统在所有操作系统中占着重要地位,如何掌握计算机C语言编程技巧是当务之急。为此,本文重点探讨基于Linux系统分析计算机C语言编程技巧。     

Assessment frequency in introductory computer programming disciplines

Introductory computer programming disciplines commonly show a significant failure rate.Although several reasons have been advanced for this state of affairs, we argue that for a beginner student it is hard to understand the difference between know-about disciplines and know-how-to-do-it disciplines, such as computer programming. This leads to failure because when students understand they are not able to solve a programming problem it is usually too late to catch all the time meanwhile lost.In order to make students critically analyse their progress, instructors have to provide them with realistic indicators of their performance.To achieve this awareness and to trigger corrective actions in a timely manner there is a need to increase assessment frequency. This paper discusses how this can be done, analyses benefits of the proposed approach and presents data on the effects of changes in assessment frequency for a university first year course in fundamentals of computer programming.     

Attributional style as a predictor of success in a first computer science course

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between attributions and performance in a computer science course. It was found that students with an optimistic attributional style performed better in a computer programming course than those students with a pessimistic attributional style. A second purpose was to examine the specific causal attributions stated by the students and to determine their relationship to course performance. It was found that course performance was related to specific causal attributions regarding ability.     

Learning motivation in e-learning facilitated computer programming courses

Computer programming skills constitute one of the core competencies that graduates from many disciplines, such as engineering and computer science, are expected to possess. Developing good programming skills typically requires students to do a lot of practice, which cannot sustain unless they are adequately motivated. This paper reports a preliminary study that investigates the key motivating factors affecting learning among university undergraduate students taking computer programming courses. These courses are supported by an e-learning system – Programming Assignment aSsessment System (PASS), which aims at providing an infrastructure and facilitation to students learning computer programming. A research model is adopted linking various motivating factors, self-efficacy, as well as the effect due to the e-learning system. Some factors are found to be notably more motivating, namely, ‘individual attitude and expectation’, ‘clear direction’, and ‘reward and recognition’. The results also suggest that a well facilitated e-learning setting can enhance learning motivation and self-efficacy.     

A computer graphics course for the two cultures

The subject of computer graphics offers a special educational opportunity for bringing together students from the two cultures of the arts/humanities and of the sciences/technologies. The author describes a computer graphics course with this approach. Several important problems arise because of students' varying backgrounds in programming and their expectations, the lack of suitable texts, and the lack of suitably-oriented computer graphics centers. The course schedule is composed of lectures, discussions of readings, and workshops in a computer graphics facility. The hardware and software basis of the course is flexible. Students complete an assigned initial project, a final project of their choice, and are responsible for documenting their project visually and verbally before the close of the semester. Student performance and evaluation of the course suggest this cross-cultural approach is a valid, worthwhile experiment to introduce the structure and significance of computer graphics imagery and computer graphics display systems.     

Prior negative experiences: their impact on computer training outcomes

This study examined how a person's negative experiences with computers prior to a training class interacted with their motivation to predict their performance in a computer class. Participants were 384 students who completed a computer course that was designed to introduce them to personal computers and a popular software package. Questionnaires were administered to the participants on the first day of the course to assess their prior negative experiences with computers, along with their computer attitudes, achievement motivation, and computer knowledge. Performance was measured objectively throughout the course with tests over the relevant material. Results indicated some evidence that the participants' pre-training motivation was moderated by their prior negative experiences when predicting test performance.     

The influence of temperament style on a student’s choice of and performance in a computer programming course

This study is an attempt to determine whether it is necessary to include temperament style when compiling an instrument to predict a student’s chances of success in a computer programming course. Temperament style is seen as the combination of qualities which constitute the natural disposition of an individual and which affect actions, thinking and emotions. The DISC model, as adapted by Boyd [Boyd, C. F. (1994). Different children, different needs: the art of adjustable parenting. Oregon: Questar Publishers Inc.], views people as behaving along two orthogonal dimensions: the speed at which a person moves through life, and his/her general focus when doing things, i.e. on people or on tasks. This study proved that both of these dimensions have an influence on the performance of students in a computer programming course while one of them also has an influence on a student’s choice to pursue a programming course.     

Mood change and computer anxiety: A comparison between computerised and paper measures of negative affect

The lack of equivalence between computerized and pencil-and-paper administration in measures of negative affect have been attributed to variance created by negative affect towards computers or computer anxiety (CA). In the current study, paper baseline computer anxiety and state/trait anxiety measures were obtained from 51 first-year psychology undergraduate volunteers. Further measures were taken by either paper or computer before and after students received their grade for the first research methods practical report of the course. Levels of state anxiety (SA) were found to increase significantly at this time. A lexical decision task was completed at each measurement stage as an additional behavioural mood indicator. Results revealed that CA was only related to SA prior to receipt of grade, at a point where equivalence between administration method of measures had been demonstrated. Non-equivalence in measurement of SA occurred after students had received their mark, in that levels of anxiety increased in the computer condition and decreased in the paper condition. Lack of equivalence, therefore, appears to be a function of psychological stress, characterised by affective modulation rather than CA.     

Predicting performance in computer programming courses

Currently available methods for selecting computer programmers are reviewed. The academic achievement, in high school and in the university, of over 3000 students is reviewed and correlated with their performance in the different computer programming courses. The results revealed that performance in high school and college mathematics and science courses account for up to 50 per cent of the variance in computer programming course performance. The implications of these results for training and selection are discussed.     

Computer experience and computer anxiety

In this article two studies are reported that tested the nature of the relationship between computer experience and computer anxiety. In the first study 184 first year psychology students were given a questionnaire that measured their computer experience in terms of e.g. breadth of experience, hours spent on working with computers, skills level, the nature of the first computer experience and the occurrence of computer anxiety. A combined latent-factor path model depicting the relationship between experience and anxiety was construed and tested by means of EQS. The model in which computer experience unidirectionally influenced computer anxiety showed a reasonable fit (CFI=0.91). Two other models were also tested. The model in which experience was a consequence of anxiety in terms of physical arousal and affect and the reciprocal model showed insufficient fit (CFI=0.79 and 0.86). A second study among 225 first and third year psychology students was done to see if the original model could be improved upon. Adding the variables “sex” and “necessity of use of computers” into the model improved the fit of the model (CFI=0.93); it was also found that the amount of control felt during the first experience raised levels of feeling computer literate and liking the computer.     

Learner outcomes and satisfaction: A comparison of live video-streamed instruction,satellite broadcast instruction,and face-to-face instruction

This study examined the final grade and satisfaction level differences among students taking specific courses using three different methods: face-to-face in class, via satellite broadcasting at remote sites, and via live video-streaming at home or at work. In each case, the same course was taught by the same instructor in all three delivery methods, and an attempt was made to survey students taking the course via the three different delivery methods. MANOVA results indicated no grade or satisfaction level differences among the three populations. Self-reported computer literacy skills revealed a slight fit between the chosen delivery mode and the reported computer literacy skills. These results provide additional evidence to support both the “no significant difference” phenomenon and the use of distance education as a viable, convenient and flexible alternative delivery mode capable of extending learning opportunities to non-traditional students.     

Mediating the impact of technology usage on perceived ease of use by anxiety

Computerphobic adults including first-year university students have been reported to range from 25% to 50%. Although self-reported computer anxiety has reduced in the past decade, it continues to be a significant issue for many. This is especially true for students of today where the stakes are high when using computers for their course work. Anxiety becomes even more critical when students are taking online courses. Past research has shown that computer experience is a strong predictor of whether or not a user will suffer anxiety symptoms while using a computer. Moreover, a substantial amount of work has been done to study the effect of previous computer experience on anxiety and on ease of use of information technologies using the technology acceptance model. However, few, if any, have investigated the role of anxiety in mediating technology usage experience on perceived ease of use. In this study, technology usage is viewed from two perspectives, the computer and the internet. We study the influence of anxiety in mediating the impact of computer and internet experiences on perceived ease of use. Questionnaire data from 114 university students were analyzed. The context was the use of a quiz tool to practice multiple choice questions. Contrary to most related studies, results indicated that anxiety has no mediating role on the impact of computer experience and perceived ease of use. However, anxiety was shown to present some moderating influence on perceived ease of use.     

任务驱动法在VB教学中的应用

高级语言程序设计(VB)作为高校非计算机专业的必修课,以培养学生的编程技能和逻辑思维能力为目的。该课程对只有一些基础知识的学生而言,如何培养其学习兴趣、提高其学习主动性、提升教学效果显得尤为重要。为此根据多年的教学实践,结合课程的教学目标,分析了传统教学模式的弊端,提出并验证了任务驱动教学手段在VB教学中的可行性。从任务驱动教学法的理论基础出发,在课堂上引入具体任务并逐步展开,通过具体的教学过程验证了任务驱动法应用于VB教学的良好效果。     

Applying minimalist design principles to the problem of computer anxiety

Computer anxiety is one possible barrier to acquisition of computer skills. To test whether an instructional intervention could decrease computer anxiety while training subjects in basic word-processing skills, instruction was developed according to the minimalist design principles of John Carroll and was compared with a commercially available instructional unit.The design of the experiment was a repeated measures control group with random assignment of subjects. Two instructional sessions were held, separated by 1 month. Subjects were pre- and posttested with respect to computer anxiety during each instructional session. Subjects worked on two similar word-processing tasks, a practice and a transfer task, during the first instructional session and on another similar word-processing task during the second instructional session. Subjects' performances on the word-processing tasks were scored according to a performance checklist. For the experimental group, there was a statistically significant decrease in computer anxiety immediately following the first instructional treatment. For the control group, there was also a decrease in computer anxiety, but this occurred over the 1-month experimental time-frame. Both experimental and control treatments were equally effective in training subjects to perform the word-processing tasks.     

The impact of computer use at home on students’ Internet skills

This article reports on a study into the impact of students’ use of the Internet and the computer at home on digital skills they need for school. The study was conducted in the lower grades of Dutch secondary education (students aged 13–15). More than 2500 students, distributed over 116 classes in 68 schools, participated in the study. Internet and computer skills were measured by means of an objective test. Multilevel analysis was used to examine the impact of home access and use on Internet and computer skills taking into account the effect of students’ backgrounds. Students in pre-university education, third-graders and non-minority students appeared to have better Internet skills and a more advantageous home computer use than students in pre-vocational education, first-graders and minority students, respectively. The Internet skills of girls were hardly less developed than those of boys. Home access to e-mail and the extent to which students use the home computer for surfing, e-mailing, chatting and text processing were found to be substantially related to Internet and computer skills (taking into account the effect of several background characteristics of the students).     

Effects of computer use during coursework on computer aversion

To test the impact of computer experience on computer aversion, 1542 students, enrolled in 32 sections of an Introductory Psychology course utilizing a computerized tutorial program were surveyed. The 32 sections were also randomly assigned to three teaching formats that involved differing levels of computer tutorial usage. Measures of computer aversion, computer attitudes, and computer anxiety were administered three times during the course and analyzed to reveal differential change patterns stemming from courseware use which were based upon gender and preexisting computer anxiety levels. These observed changes are discussed in relation to students' reinforcement, efficacy, and outcome expectations from computer use.     

Anxiety management training as a strategy for enhancing computer user performance

This study assessed the effects of self-managed relaxation and cognitive coping skills training on the anxiety and performance of 80 apprehensive computer trainees. The influence of a computer's user friendliness upon these measures was also examined. The college student subjects were taught to use spreadsheet software and were then assigned an independent computer task to complete. Experimental sessions included a control condition as well as manipulations in which subjects were trained to use relaxation coping skills, cognitive coping skills, or a combination of the two skills. Half of the subjects worked with “friendly” and half with “less-friendly” software. Training in 3elaxation or cognitive coping skills reduced error rates and task times, but not computer anxiety. Combined relaxation and cognitive coping skills training had similar effects, as did the use of friendly software. The findings indicate that teaching anxiety management skills may be most appropriate when software is relatively difficult to use.     

Predictors of computer anxiety and performance in information systems

This paper reports on the results of a study of business undergraduates undertaking an introductory unit in information systems. The focus of the study was to determine whether or not perceived knowledge of software, microcomputer experience, overall knowledge of computers, programming experience, and biological sex were predictors of computer anxiety. Analysis was carried out to assess the factor structure and the discriminatory power of the Computer Anxiety Rating Scale (CARS).Previous computer experience is an important element of success in undergraduate courses in information systems. Computer anxiety is definitely implicated in performance. Sex in general was not found to be a predictor of computer anxiety. However, females with low levels of perceived knowledge of software and limited experience with computers were predominant in the failing subgroup.The CARS appears to have a very high discriminatory capability. The CARS is easy to use and efficient. It can be used to identify and assist students who present with significant anxiety about using microcomputers.