ISCAP Proceedings: Abstract Presentation
A Framework to Conduct a National Level Survey Pertaining to Interventions at Universities to Lower the DFW Rates of Entry-Level Coding Courses
Daniel Freburg
Illinois State University
Todd Thomas
Illinois State University
Abstract
Entry-level coding course DFW (letter grade D, F, or withdraw) rates at higher educational institutions are known to be greater than other courses and are a constant focus of improvement efforts. Several factors contribute to this, such as the difficulty of subject matter, complexity of instruction, coding anxiety, and entry-level coding courses sometimes being treated as a barrier to entry for computer science (CS) and information systems (IS) majors. This initial study outlines a framework and examines the benefits of implementing a nationwide survey to acquire information from universities about their efforts to lower their entry-level coding DFW rates. The proposed survey will seek information about interventions being implemented, including tutoring, debuggers, TAs, teaching techniques, games, online tutorials, pair programming, etc... This information will help identify the frequency at which interventions are being implemented.