An Integrative Model of Factors Related to Computing Course Performance

Abstract

A path modeling approach is adopted to examine inter-relationships between factors influencing computing behavior and computing course performance. Factors considered are gender, personality, intellect and computing attitudes, ownership and experience. Among many other conclusions, intrinsic motivation is suggested as a major factor which can explain many variables' relationship with course performance.Similarly to the common finding for non-computing specialist students, a male advantage in previous computing experience is observed, gender differences in computer ownership partially explaining this. In the absence of an attitudinal gender difference, the ownership difference is suggested to stem from the perception of computers as objects stereotypically bought by and for males. However, while having implications with respect to the gender imbalance usually observed on programmingoriented and more technically-oriented applications courses, these differences are not shown to confer a male advantage in course performance.

Gender, achievement, and persistence in an undergraduate computer science program

“…Following related research (e.g., Charlton & Birkett, 1999), this study demonstrates the value of investigating the interactions between variables that predict achievement and persistence in computer science. By doing so, we observed several complex and unexpected interactions between student characteristics (including gender), achievement, and persistence.…”

“…Appendix A shows the questions used in the analysis, with their associated variables (factors) and values. These questions targeted factors shown in prior research to be predictive of achievement in undergraduate CS programs, such as math background (Cafolla, 1987;Clement et al, 1986;Jagacinski et al, 1988;Lai & Repman, 1996), prior computing experience (Byrne & Lyons, 2001;Taylor & Mounfield, 1989), home and school access to computers (Jones, 1987, cited in Bunderson & Christensen, 1995Foorman et al, 1985, cited in Bunderson & Christensen, 1995, motivation (Charlton & Birkett, 1999), confidence in one's computer ability and the perception that one's confidence is backed by good performance (Charlton & Birkett, 1999;Jagacinski et al, 1988;Volet & Styles, 1992), and encouragement from mentors and role models (Falk et al, 2000). The background survey also included questions aimed at exploring the influence of parental encouragement on achievement and persistence.…”

“…Since 1990, research has focused on several causes of female attrition, including (but not limited to) gender bias and stereotyping (Margolis et al, 1999;Spertus, 1991), attitudes towards computing (Charlton & Birkett, 1998;Shashaani, 1997), prior computing experience (Bunderson & Christensen, 1995;Fan et al, 1998;Taylor & Mounfield, 1994), motivation (Charlton & Birkett, 1999), confidence , disciplinary characteristics (Mahony & Van Toen, 1990;Pearl et al, 2002), and departmental characteristics (Cohoon, 2001;2002) including the "culture of computing" at particular institutions (Bunderson & Christensen, 1995;Margolis & Fisher, 2002). Because most studies have found that women perform equally as well or better than men in undergraduate CS programs, little attention has been paid to the relationship between achievement and persistence.…”

Comparing Online and Offline Administration of Multiple Choice Question Assessments to Psychology Undergraduates: Do Assessment Modality or Computer Attitudes Influence Performance?

“…Other studies have found that both computer anxiety levels and performance on computer based tasks are related to levels of prior experience using computers (see, for example, Brosnan, 1998a;Charlton and Birkett, 1999), in which case it may be reasonable to speculate that mature students, or international students from countries which may not have ready availability of computers in schools and universities, might be disproportionately disadvantaged by the introduction of online assessments due to having less computer experience.…”

Distinguishing addiction and high engagement in the context of online game playing

“…The notion of computer-related addictions can be contrasted with the concept of high computer engagement introduced by Charlton and Birkett (1995) and shown to be a positive attribute by Charlton and Birkett (1999). Although high engagement involves a high degree of computer usage, this usage is non-pathological in that it does not have negative consequences for the individual, the existence of negative consequences being a crucial feature in defining excessive appetitive behaviors in general (Orford, 1985), pathological Internet use (Beard & Wolf, 2001;Caplan, 2002;Morahan-Martin & Schumacher, 2000), and impulse control disorders in the DSM-IV-TR.…”