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

该项目旨在通过研究低先决条件熟练程度对计算机科学学位课程学生成功的影响来服务于国家利益。这是一个公认的事实，学术界没有毕业足够的学生谁是合格的，以满足日益增长的就业需求的技术劳动力。在计算机科学中，课程通常要求学生完成称为先决条件的预备课程。关于可变的先决条件熟练程度对学生在后续课程中的成功的影响知之甚少。 令人惊讶的是，尽管在先决条件课程的成绩很好，许多学生被认为有穷人的先决条件熟练程度。该项目将重点回答三个关键问题：先决条件熟练度低对学生在以后课程中的成功有何影响、先决条件熟练度低的原因是什么以及问题的严重程度。这些发现将有助于更好地了解先决条件熟练程度如何影响学生的成功，这将用于改善计算机科学学位课程，并增加有资格填补技术劳动力就业需求的学生人数。妇女、少数民族、转校生、第一代学生）可能受到先决条件熟练程度低的不成比例的影响。 PI将研究来自计算中代表性不足的群体的学生如何相对于代表性群体的学生受到影响，并将进行一系列涉及教师和学生访谈的研究，以及设计和管理参与研究的每个机构的多门课程的先决条件准备评估。 使用定性和定量方法相结合，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成绩（考试成绩，成绩，保留）的影响。NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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.