Collaborative Research: Understanding the Impact of Low Prerequisite Proficiency on Student Success in Computer Science

这个项目旨在通过研究低必备熟练程度对学生在计算机科学学位课程中成功的影响来服务于国家利益。一个公认的事实是，学术界没有培养出足够多的有资格满足技术劳动力日益增长的就业需求的学生。在计算机科学中，课程通常要求学生完成预科课程，称为先决条件。人们对不同的前提条件熟练程度对学生在后续课程中取得成功的影响知之甚少。令人惊讶的是，尽管必修课的成绩很好，但许多学生的必修课水平却很差。这个项目将集中回答三个关键问题：学前教育水平低对学生在后续课程中的成功有什么影响，造成学前教育水平低的原因是什么，以及问题的程度有多大。这些发现将有助于更好地理解必备熟练程度如何影响学生的成功，这将被用来改进计算机科学学位课程，并增加有资格满足技术工作人员就业需求的学生数量。对学生表现的研究表明，来自计算机领域代表性较低的群体(如女性、少数族裔、转学学生、第一代学生)的学生可能会受到较低的先决条件熟练程度的不成比例的影响。PIS将研究计算机专业代表性不足群体的学生相对于代表群体的学生受到的影响，并将进行一系列研究，包括对教职员工和学生的访谈，以及设计和管理对参与研究的每个机构的多门课程的先决条件准备情况的评估。使用定性和定量相结合的方法，这个多机构项目将确定低先决条件准备的原因、问题的普遍性，以及低先决条件准备对学生结果(考试成绩、成绩、保留率)的影响。NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生的STEM教育的有效性。通过参与的学生学习路径，该计划支持有前景的实践和工具的创建、探索和实施。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to serve the national interest by studying the impact of low prerequisite proficiency on student success in computer science degree programs. It is a well-established fact that academia is not graduating enough students who are qualified to fill the growing employment needs in the technical workforce. In computer science, courses often require students to have completed preparatory courses called prerequisites. Little is known about the effect of variable prerequisite proficiency on student success in subsequent courses. Surprisingly, despite strong grades in prerequisite courses, many students are judged to have poor prerequisite proficiency. This project will focus on answering three key questions: what the impact of low prerequisite proficiency is on student success in later courses, what are the causes of low prerequisite proficiency, and what is the extent of the problem. These findings will result in a better understanding of how prerequisite proficiency impacts student success, which will be used to improve computer science degree programs and increase the number of students qualified to fill employment needs in the technical workforce.Studies of student performance have shown that students from underrepresented groups in computing (e.g., women, minorities, transfer students, first-generation students) may be disproportionately impacted by low prerequisite proficiency. The PIs will examine how students from groups underrepresented in computing are impacted relative to students from represented groups and will conduct a series of studies involving faculty and student interviews as well as designing and administering assessments of prerequisite preparation in multiple courses at each institution involved in the study. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, this multi-institutional project will determine the causes of low prerequisite preparation, the ubiquity of the problem, and the impact of low prerequisite preparation on student outcomes (exam scores, grades, retention). The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.