An exploration of STEM freshmen's attitudes, engagement and autonomous learning in introductory computer programming

Claudio Alvarez; Camila Fajardo; Federico Meza; Andrea Vasquez

doi:10.1109/SCCC49216.2019.8966447

An exploration of STEM freshmen's attitudes, engagement and autonomous learning in introductory computer programming

Claudio Alvarez, Camila Fajardo, Federico Meza, Andrea Vasquez

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Programming skills and computational thinking are fundamental concerns in professional training in Science, Technology' Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. In spite of this, in the Chilean higher education system, as in most parts of the world, teaching programming is a challenging endeavor, partly because the majority of freshmen students in STEM undergraduate programs have not been introduced to the fundamentals of the discipline and its applications in K12 education. Therefore, students' attitudes, engagement, and autonomous learning can make a difference in how students in STEM disciplines in higher education face their first programming course. In the present study, we carried out measurement of variables associated to these constructs involving a sample of 1694 freshmen of seventeen STEM programs in a Chilean research university. Relevant differences were found among different STEM programs, and by student gender. Implications of the results obtained and future research avenues are discussed.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2019 38th International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, SCCC 2019
Publisher	IEEE Computer Society
ISBN (Electronic)	9781728156132
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/SCCC49216.2019.8966447
State	Published - Nov 2019
Event	38th International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, SCCC 2019 - Concepcion, Chile Duration: 4 Nov 2019 → 9 Nov 2019

Publication series

Name	Proceedings - International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, SCCC
Volume	2019-November
ISSN (Print)	1522-4902

Conference

Conference	38th International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, SCCC 2019
Country/Territory	Chile
City	Concepcion
Period	4/11/19 → 9/11/19

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 IEEE.

Keywords

Attitudes
Autonomous learning
Engagement
Engineering education
Learning analytics
Programming education

Access to Document

10.1109/SCCC49216.2019.8966447

Cite this

Alvarez, C., Fajardo, C., Meza, F., & Vasquez, A. (2019). An exploration of STEM freshmen's attitudes, engagement and autonomous learning in introductory computer programming. In 2019 38th International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, SCCC 2019 Article 8966447 (Proceedings - International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, SCCC; Vol. 2019-November). IEEE Computer Society. https://doi.org/10.1109/SCCC49216.2019.8966447

Alvarez, Claudio ; Fajardo, Camila ; Meza, Federico et al. / An exploration of STEM freshmen's attitudes, engagement and autonomous learning in introductory computer programming. 2019 38th International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, SCCC 2019. IEEE Computer Society, 2019. (Proceedings - International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, SCCC).

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title = "An exploration of STEM freshmen's attitudes, engagement and autonomous learning in introductory computer programming",

abstract = "Programming skills and computational thinking are fundamental concerns in professional training in Science, Technology' Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. In spite of this, in the Chilean higher education system, as in most parts of the world, teaching programming is a challenging endeavor, partly because the majority of freshmen students in STEM undergraduate programs have not been introduced to the fundamentals of the discipline and its applications in K12 education. Therefore, students' attitudes, engagement, and autonomous learning can make a difference in how students in STEM disciplines in higher education face their first programming course. In the present study, we carried out measurement of variables associated to these constructs involving a sample of 1694 freshmen of seventeen STEM programs in a Chilean research university. Relevant differences were found among different STEM programs, and by student gender. Implications of the results obtained and future research avenues are discussed.",

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Alvarez, C, Fajardo, C, Meza, F & Vasquez, A 2019, An exploration of STEM freshmen's attitudes, engagement and autonomous learning in introductory computer programming. in 2019 38th International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, SCCC 2019., 8966447, Proceedings - International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, SCCC, vol. 2019-November, IEEE Computer Society, 38th International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, SCCC 2019, Concepcion, Chile, 4/11/19. https://doi.org/10.1109/SCCC49216.2019.8966447

An exploration of STEM freshmen's attitudes, engagement and autonomous learning in introductory computer programming. / Alvarez, Claudio; Fajardo, Camila; Meza, Federico et al.
2019 38th International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, SCCC 2019. IEEE Computer Society, 2019. 8966447 (Proceedings - International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, SCCC; Vol. 2019-November).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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AB - Programming skills and computational thinking are fundamental concerns in professional training in Science, Technology' Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. In spite of this, in the Chilean higher education system, as in most parts of the world, teaching programming is a challenging endeavor, partly because the majority of freshmen students in STEM undergraduate programs have not been introduced to the fundamentals of the discipline and its applications in K12 education. Therefore, students' attitudes, engagement, and autonomous learning can make a difference in how students in STEM disciplines in higher education face their first programming course. In the present study, we carried out measurement of variables associated to these constructs involving a sample of 1694 freshmen of seventeen STEM programs in a Chilean research university. Relevant differences were found among different STEM programs, and by student gender. Implications of the results obtained and future research avenues are discussed.

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Alvarez C, Fajardo C, Meza F, Vasquez A. An exploration of STEM freshmen's attitudes, engagement and autonomous learning in introductory computer programming. In 2019 38th International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, SCCC 2019. IEEE Computer Society. 2019. 8966447. (Proceedings - International Conference of the Chilean Computer Science Society, SCCC). doi: 10.1109/SCCC49216.2019.8966447

An exploration of STEM freshmen's attitudes, engagement and autonomous learning in introductory computer programming

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