Computer Science (CS) is a critical subject for STEM students to learn. Yet, many students struggle in Introductory Computer Science (CS1) and fail or dropout of the class. A lack of CS self-efficacy - the belief that the individual can complete a task - is frequently the cause of this failure to succeed in CS1. Solutions have been proposed to improve student self-efficacy in CS1. Unfortunately, a lack of self-efficacy in CS1 classes is still a problem. This study examines a pedagogical tool, whiteboarding, and it's affect on student perception of self-efficacy during the programming problem-solving process for novice programmers. These findings indicate whiteboarding can be a vital tool that increases student self-efficacy by improving their success at programming activities, increasing collaboration and feedback, and providing an active learning environment that is positive and holds students accountable for their work.
The goal of this multiple method study was to identify the effect on CS1 students' perception of self-efficacy. Focus group sessions and researcher notes and memos were used to collect qualitative data. A pre- and post-intervention self-efficacy questionnaire was used to quantify the change in self-efficacy. The whiteboarding intervention was conducted in two AP CS A classes during the first four weeks of the year. Seventeen 10th grade students participated in the focus groups and the questionnaire. Three focus groups of four students and one focus group of five students was conducted at the end of the intervention.
The three themes that emerged from the focus group sessions answered the research question: Engagement with the Problem, Engagement with Others, and Engagement with the Environment. Teaching success in the CS1 classroom requires student self-efficacy. This study has implications for CS1 course instructors. / Doctor of Philosophy / Computer programming is a critical skill for STEM students to learn. Students frequently fail or dropout of Introductory Computer Science (CS1) classes. Research implies that one of the biggest factors for student success and persistence in CS1 is self-efficacy – the belief that the individual can complete a task. General factors that influence self-efficacy include completing tasks successfully, watching others complete a task, verbal support from others, and being calm and positive when faced with a challenge. But, self-efficacy is specific to the task that the individual is trying to complete. Studies have identified some of the factors that influence programming specific self-efficacy: prior programming knowledge, computer literacy, a sense of belonging in Computer Science (CS), understanding CS concepts, and goal orientation and metacognitive strategies. There are teaching strategies in CS1 that have been developed that have been shown to increase self-efficacy for CS1 students such as peer-instruction, mental models, and teacher interaction. Teachers need more tools and strategies to help students increase their self-efficacy while they are learning the difficult task of programming. This mixed-methods study examined the use of whiteboarding by 17 students in the Advanced Placement CS A course during the first month of instruction.
This study showed that whiteboarding influenced many of the factors that improve self-efficacy in the CS1 classroom. The implications of this study can lead to teachers implementing whiteboarding as tool during the problem-solving process in the CS1 classroom.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/108877 |
| Date | 25 February 2022 |
| Creators | Chapin, John Andrew |
| Contributors | Education, Vocational-Technical, Bowen, Bradley Davis, Stewart, Trevor Thomas, Kniola, David J., Williams, Thomas O. |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
Page generated in 0.0019 seconds