Title: ATTITUDES TOWARD PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN UNDERGRADUATE TECHNOLOGYCOURSES THAT USE PAIR PROGRAMMING: A MATCHED SAMPLES APPROACH
To succeed in the 21stcentury, students need to acquire skills that are critical to the workforce such as collaboration, social skills, and technology literacy (World Economic Forum, 2016). Individuals with disabilities (D) must develop the same skills as their peers without disabilities. Unfortunately, college students with disabilities often find computing courses frustrating and are more vulnerable to lower academic self-concept, academic challenges, and disability stigma (Kim & Kutscher, 2021). Although computing disciplines often provide good job opportunities, Students with D who enrolled in computing courses are especially at risk of falling behind and dropping out of introductory programming courses (Richman et al., 2014). To address the problem, we examined the use of pair programming, a collaborative approach to programming, as a pedagogic method to improve students with disabilities’ attitudes toward programming in undergraduate computer courses. There is a need to study effective instructional approaches that can facilitate learning and improve the outcomes of students with D. more »« less
Pribesh, S.; He, W.; Watson, S.; Major, D.; Xu, L.; Li, L.; Tian, X.; Gorkhali, A.; He, Y.
(, Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference)
SITE
(Ed.)
Persons with learning disabilities (LD) are underrepresented in computer science and information technology fields despite the explosion of related career opportunities and interest. In this study, we examine the use of pair programming as a collaborative intervention in with computer programming and compare students with learning disabilities to students who do not have learning disabilities. We concentrate on situational motivation constructs which tap into the desire to meet goals and acquire skills. We find that students with LD and similar students without LD fare the same. For the both groups, three of the four situational motivation subscales increase after the introduction of pair programming. The use of pair programming holds promise as an educational intervention for all students including those with learning disabilities.
Lam, Jessica; Fang, Elias; Almansoori, Majed; Chatterjee, Rahul; Soosai Raj, Adalbert Gerald
(, In Proceedings of the 53rd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education)
Often, security topics are only taught in advanced computer science (CS) courses. However, most US R1 universities do not require students to take these courses to complete an undergraduate CS degree. As a result, students can graduate without learning about computer security and secure programming practices. To gauge students’ knowledge and skills of secure programming, we conducted a coding interview with 21 students from two R1 universities in the United States. All the students in our study had at least taken Computer Systems or an equivalent course. We then analyzed the students’ approach to safe programming practices, such as avoiding unsafe functions like gets and strcpy, and basic security knowledge, such as writing code that assumes user inputs can be malicious. Our results suggest that students lack the key fundamental skills to write secure programs. For example, students rarely pay attention to details, such as compiler warnings, and often do not read programming language documentation with care. Moreover, some students’ understanding of memory layout is cursory, which is crucial for writing secure programs. We also found that some students are struggling with even the basics of C programming, even though it is the main language taught in Computer Systems courses.
Watson, S.; Li, L.; Xu, L.; He, W.; Pribesh, S.; Major, D.
(, Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference)
SITE
(Ed.)
This paper is the report on the findings of a three-year study conducted in undergraduate computer science courses. It also describes the changes made to deal with COVID-19 during the summer and fall of 2020. We collected data on over 800 students with approximately 35 students identified as having learning disabilities (LD). These students were not professional programmers in a computer science department; rather, they were students from a Business College. Our preliminary results show that pair programming improved (a) teamwork and communication between the pairs; (b) confidence in students; and (c) comprehension and learning for all students. Thus, our preliminary results indicate that pair programming improved everyone’s performance. Educators should consider the importance of collaboration with other disciplines when creating inclusive environments for students with disabilities.
This project focuses on developing three technical courses for lower-division electrical engineering education to bridge the gap between Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in high schools, engineering programs at community colleges, and lower-division electrical engineering courses at four-year universities. The primary goal of the project is to create a seamless academic transition by providing electrical engineering students with the necessary foundational knowledge in analog and digital systems, as well as hands-on experience with laboratory measurement tools. The courses utilize industry-relevant technologies such as LabView, MATLAB, PLC programming, and ready-to-use microcontroller boards to facilitate experiential learning at lower division courses. Early exposure to these tools and systems equips students with practical skills that not only prepare them for further academic pursuits but also align them with workforce demands in industries that increasingly rely on automation, data acquisition, and real-time system controls. The success of this project is attributed to its emphasis on design and project-based learning, which fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for real-world applications. By integrating design principles early in students' educational experiences, they are better prepared to tackle complex engineering problems as they progress through their academic careers. The use of project-based learning allows students to apply theoretical knowledge to tangible, real-world projects, improving their engagement and deepening their understanding of electrical engineering concepts. Practical tools like MATLAB and microcontroller boards in entry-level courses not only motivates students to pursue engineering but also increases retention rates in STEM fields, a key metric for academic success. This project is also advocating for early exposure to hands-on technical skills as a way to better prepare students for the workforce. By focusing on skill development in both CTE programs and early college courses, students are equipped with a stronger foundation for electrical engineering careers and are more likely to succeed in upper-division coursework and beyond. The seamless integration of high school, community college, and university programs ensures that students acquire both the theoretical and practical skills necessary to be successful in an increasingly technology-driven economy. Moreover, the project's use of industry-standard tools, coupled with its focus on bridging academic gaps, provides a sustainable model for developing a skilled and versatile workforce, addressing the growing need for engineers proficient in both design and system implementation.
Lytle, Nicholas; Catete, Veronica; Isvik, Amy; Boulden, Danielle; Dong, Yihuan; Wiebe, Eric; Barnes, Tiffany
(, Proceedings of the 14th Workshop in Primary and Secondary Computing Education)
As computing skills become necessary for 21st-century students, infused computational thinking (CT) lessons must be created for core courses to truly provide computing education for all. This will bring challenges as students will have widely varying experience and programming ability. Additionally, STEM teachers might have little experience teaching CT and instructing using unfamiliar technology might create discomfort. We present a design pattern for infused CT assignments that scaffold students and teachers into block-based programming environments. Beginning with existing code, students and teachers work together 'Using' and comprehending code before 'Modifying' it together to fix their programs. The activity ends with students 'Choosing' their own extensions from a pre-set list. We present a comparison of two implementations of a simulation activity, one ending with student choosing how to extend their models and one having all students create the same option. Through triangulating data from classroom observations, student feedback, teacher interviews, and programming interaction logs, we present support for student and teacher preference of the 'Student-Choice' model. We end with recommended strategies for developing curricula that follow our design model.
Watson, S., Li, L., Pribesh, S., and Xu, L. ATTITUDES TOWARD PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN UNDERGRADUATE TECHNOLOGYCOURSES THAT USE PAIR PROGRAMMING: A MATCHED SAMPLES APPROACH. Retrieved from https://par.nsf.gov/biblio/10354782. The International Conference on Education and New Developments .
Watson, S., Li, L., Pribesh, S., & Xu, L. ATTITUDES TOWARD PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN UNDERGRADUATE TECHNOLOGYCOURSES THAT USE PAIR PROGRAMMING: A MATCHED SAMPLES APPROACH. The International Conference on Education and New Developments, (). Retrieved from https://par.nsf.gov/biblio/10354782.
Watson, S., Li, L., Pribesh, S., and Xu, L.
"ATTITUDES TOWARD PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN UNDERGRADUATE TECHNOLOGYCOURSES THAT USE PAIR PROGRAMMING: A MATCHED SAMPLES APPROACH". The International Conference on Education and New Developments (). Country unknown/Code not available. https://par.nsf.gov/biblio/10354782.
@article{osti_10354782,
place = {Country unknown/Code not available},
title = {ATTITUDES TOWARD PROGRAMMING FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN UNDERGRADUATE TECHNOLOGYCOURSES THAT USE PAIR PROGRAMMING: A MATCHED SAMPLES APPROACH},
url = {https://par.nsf.gov/biblio/10354782},
abstractNote = {To succeed in the 21stcentury, students need to acquire skills that are critical to the workforce such as collaboration, social skills, and technology literacy (World Economic Forum, 2016). Individuals with disabilities (D) must develop the same skills as their peers without disabilities. Unfortunately, college students with disabilities often find computing courses frustrating and are more vulnerable to lower academic self-concept, academic challenges, and disability stigma (Kim & Kutscher, 2021). Although computing disciplines often provide good job opportunities, Students with D who enrolled in computing courses are especially at risk of falling behind and dropping out of introductory programming courses (Richman et al., 2014). To address the problem, we examined the use of pair programming, a collaborative approach to programming, as a pedagogic method to improve students with disabilities’ attitudes toward programming in undergraduate computer courses. There is a need to study effective instructional approaches that can facilitate learning and improve the outcomes of students with D.},
journal = {The International Conference on Education and New Developments},
author = {Watson, S. and Li, L. and Pribesh, S. and Xu, L.},
editor = {Carmo, M.}
}
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