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Factors affecting computer programming ability among junior college students
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Type
Thesis
Author
Mooi, Lee Choo
Supervisor
Lam, Peter Tit-Loong
Soh, Kay Cheng
Abstract
This study attempted to determine the relationships of students' cognitive and affective entry characteristics to ability in computer programming. Subjects were 200 (150 male, 50 female) students enrolled in the first year of a two -year General Certificate in Education (GCE) Advanced Level Computing Course in six Junior College in Singapore in 1989. A model was developed relating students' cognitive and affective entry characteristics to computer programming ability.
The three cognitive variables were cognitive style measured by the Group Embedded Figures Test score, mathematics ability based on students' mathematics grades obtained at the 1988 GCE Ordinary Level Examinations, and computer aptitude measured by the score on a Computer Aptitude Test. The two affective variables were responses on a Computer Attitudes Scale with indicators Liking for computer , Computer usage and Computer interest, and responses on a Computer Anxiety Index with items on Confidence, Significant others and Self-ability. Computer programming ability was the score obtained on a teacher-made pen-and-paper test consisting of fifteen multiple-choice questions on factual knowledge and comprehension of computer terminologies and ten topic questions on computer programming concepts.
The basic structure of the model for both male and female data was the main object of inquiry in this study. It was hypothesised that cognitive style, mathematics ability and computer aptitude affect computer attitudes, computer anxiety and computer programming ability ; and that computer attitudes and computer anxiety, in their turn affect computer programming ability. Analyses were done for males and females separately. The LISREL VI program was used to generate estimates for the parameters in the models. The male and female models were tested to be consistent with the sample data.
The main findings are:
● Cognitive style had little impact on computer programming ability and had no direct effect on computer attitudes and computer anxiety in both the male and female models.
● Mathematics ability had a direct effect on computer programming ability in the male model but not in the female model. However, mathematics ability had a direct effect on computer anxiety of female students.
● In both male and female models, computer aptitude had considerable influence on computer programming ability. Students with low computer aptitude generally had low programming ability.
● In both male and female models, positive attitudes towards computers did not have a direct influence on computer programming ability, but there was an indirect influence via computer anxiety in the male model.
All the cognitive and affective variables considered in this study were able to account for 40.9% of the variance in computer programming ability for the male sample. Cognitive variables accounted for 3.7% of the variance in computer attitudes and 12.3% of the variance in computer anxiety for the sample of male students. Only 9.5% of the variance in computer programming ability for the female sample was accounted for by the cognitive and affective variables. For this sample of female students, cognitive variables accounted for 0.9% of the variance in computer attitudes and 11.4% of the variance in computer anxiety. Results showed that for both male and female samples, computer aptitude was the most highly predictive measure of computer programming ability.
The three cognitive variables were cognitive style measured by the Group Embedded Figures Test score, mathematics ability based on students' mathematics grades obtained at the 1988 GCE Ordinary Level Examinations, and computer aptitude measured by the score on a Computer Aptitude Test. The two affective variables were responses on a Computer Attitudes Scale with indicators Liking for computer , Computer usage and Computer interest, and responses on a Computer Anxiety Index with items on Confidence, Significant others and Self-ability. Computer programming ability was the score obtained on a teacher-made pen-and-paper test consisting of fifteen multiple-choice questions on factual knowledge and comprehension of computer terminologies and ten topic questions on computer programming concepts.
The basic structure of the model for both male and female data was the main object of inquiry in this study. It was hypothesised that cognitive style, mathematics ability and computer aptitude affect computer attitudes, computer anxiety and computer programming ability ; and that computer attitudes and computer anxiety, in their turn affect computer programming ability. Analyses were done for males and females separately. The LISREL VI program was used to generate estimates for the parameters in the models. The male and female models were tested to be consistent with the sample data.
The main findings are:
● Cognitive style had little impact on computer programming ability and had no direct effect on computer attitudes and computer anxiety in both the male and female models.
● Mathematics ability had a direct effect on computer programming ability in the male model but not in the female model. However, mathematics ability had a direct effect on computer anxiety of female students.
● In both male and female models, computer aptitude had considerable influence on computer programming ability. Students with low computer aptitude generally had low programming ability.
● In both male and female models, positive attitudes towards computers did not have a direct influence on computer programming ability, but there was an indirect influence via computer anxiety in the male model.
All the cognitive and affective variables considered in this study were able to account for 40.9% of the variance in computer programming ability for the male sample. Cognitive variables accounted for 3.7% of the variance in computer attitudes and 12.3% of the variance in computer anxiety for the sample of male students. Only 9.5% of the variance in computer programming ability for the female sample was accounted for by the cognitive and affective variables. For this sample of female students, cognitive variables accounted for 0.9% of the variance in computer attitudes and 11.4% of the variance in computer anxiety. Results showed that for both male and female samples, computer aptitude was the most highly predictive measure of computer programming ability.
Date Issued
1990
Call Number
QA76.27 Moo
Date Submitted
1990