How self-beliefs, values, and belonging change and relate with performance during introductory computer science

Journal article

Teomara Rutherford, Hye Rin Lee, Austin Cory Bart, Andrew Rodrigues, Megan Englert
Computer Science Education, 2024

DOI

Cite

APA Click to copy
Rutherford, T., Lee, H. R., Bart, A. C., Rodrigues, A., & Englert, M. (2024). How self-beliefs, values, and belonging change and relate with performance during introductory computer science. Computer Science Education.

Chicago/Turabian Click to copy
Rutherford, Teomara, Hye Rin Lee, Austin Cory Bart, Andrew Rodrigues, and Megan Englert. “How Self-Beliefs, Values, and Belonging Change and Relate with Performance during Introductory Computer Science.” Computer Science Education (2024).

MLA Click to copy
Rutherford, Teomara, et al. “How Self-Beliefs, Values, and Belonging Change and Relate with Performance during Introductory Computer Science.” Computer Science Education, 2024.

BibTeX Click to copy

@article{teomara2024a,
  title = {How self-beliefs, values, and belonging change and relate with performance during introductory computer science},
  year = {2024},
  journal = {Computer Science Education},
  author = {Rutherford, Teomara and Lee, Hye Rin and Bart, Austin Cory and Rodrigues, Andrew and Englert, Megan}
}

Abstract

Background and Context

First-year university computer science courses can provide barriers or bridges into CS for students. Understanding student motivation within this context can enable instructors to better support learning.

Objective

To understand how student motivation changes across the semester and relates to course performance and student background.

Method

Students were surveyed four times during the course on their motivation for CS and for the course. Differences across groups and time were analyzed, as were links with performance.

Findings

Starting the course, women reported lower belonging and self-beliefs than men. Student value for CS declined during the course, whereas self-beliefs and belonging increased. Self-beliefs, course importance, and cost predicted final course grades; interest predicted fluctuations in grades across the semester.

Implications

Intervening to bolster course value and reduce perceptions of course cost may be most fruitful for increasing final grades; fostering interest may be best to improve engagement and within-course performance.