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Introductory computer science courses for non-majors (CS0) aim to increase diversity and highlight the relevance of computing across disciplines. To enhance the accessibility and engagement of CS0, researchers have explored contextualized computing, where computing is integrated with another subject, to teach course content. While research has explored various designs for contextualized courses, we know less about how contextualized computing tasks impact students’ learning experiences. Through the lens of metacognition and affect, we conducted a secondary qualitative analysis on daily diary and retrospective interview data from 20 students in a CS0 course that applied coding to different contexts. Our findings demonstrate that students’ feeling of knowing and their perception of the task are two central themes that shape their affect and interest in the course. We conclude with design suggestions for contextualized computing in CS0 to better support students. 

Introductory computer science for non-majors, often referred to as CS0, is a course that is designed to be more accessible and less intimidating than CS1, with the goal of alleviating barriers and fears associated with learning computer science (CS). However, despite this intention, many students still struggle in CS0 and these courses do not always successfully prepare students for future CS learning experiences. In this paper, we study the experiences of CS0 students with a particular focus on the intersection of their metacognition, affect, and behaviors. To study students’ daily learning experiences, we collected data from 20 participants who completed structured daily diaries and retrospective interviews over the course of a single homework assignment. Through a thematic analysis of the diaries and interviews, we identified three distinct patterns of engagement that highlight the importance of metacognitive knowledge of strategies, or a students’ understanding of when, why, and how to effectively use regulation and disciplinary strategies while working on tasks. The three patterns of engagement include: (1) avoidance behaviors resulting from negative emotions, negative judgements, and a lack of metacognitive knowledge of strategies, (2) persistence or re-engagement behaviors despite negative emotions and judgements aided by metacognitive knowledge of strategies, and (3) persistence behaviors with evidence that metacognitive knowledge of strategies prevented students from forming negative judgements in the first place. We contribute an initial model of the interplay of metacognition, affect, and behaviors in CS learning, showing the role of metacognitive knowledge of strategies in helping students persist in the face of struggle. In our discussion, we advocate for explicit interventions that support students in developing metacognitive knowledge of strategies while also supporting their sometimes challenging emotional experiences. 

In computer science (CS) higher education, many students in introductory courses (CS1) struggle to learn programming due to both the complexity of the discipline and negative affective experiences while learning. Large class sizes hinder the opportunity to receive support that addresses both disciplinary knowledge and affective experiences, both of which have been shown to influence self-efficacy. Our work utilized a combination of structured daily diaries and retrospective interviews to surface participants’ programming experiences, affective responses, and self-perceptions. Through two case studies, we highlight the intertwined nature of disciplinary knowledge and affective experiences in the learning process of students in CS1, and advocate for increased attention to student interactions with TAs as an opportunity to provide affective support along with disciplinary learning. 

Robot technologies have been introduced to computing education to engage learners. This study introduces the concept of co-creation with a robot agent into culturally-responsive computing (CRC). Co- creation with computer agents has previously focused on creating external artifacts. Our work differs by making the robot agent itself the co-created product. Through participatory design activities, we positioned adolescent girls and an agentic social robot as co- creators of the robot’s identity. Taking a thematic analysis approach, we examined how girls embody the role of creator and co-creator in this space. We identified themes surrounding who has the power to make decisions, what decisions are made, and how to maintain social relationship. Our findings suggest that co-creation with robot technology is a promising implementation vehicle for realizing CRC.