Novice programmers’ self-efficacy and awareness of computer programming in daily life

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in self-efficacy and awareness of computer programming in daily life between novice programming learners who learned programming with Scratch and those who learned it with micro:bit and Scratch. A mixed-methods study was designed using a between-subjects, pre and post-test experimental design with surveys, interviews, and multiple-choice tests. Quantitative data analyses showed that novice programming learners in the Scratch-only condition rated their level of understanding of computer programming in daily life higher than those in the micro:bit condition. There was not a statistically significant difference in self-efficacy and programming knowledge scores from pre- to post-test. However, both conditions’ scores for knowledge test decreased, and the level of self-efficacy increased from pre- to post-test. Qualitative data analyses showed that there were no differences between conditions in the self-efficacy characteristics. Novice programming learners in the micro:bit condition provided a greater variety of computer programming examples in daily life than those in the Scratch-only condition did. These results showed that quantitative research methods detected a significant difference in understanding of computer programming in daily life in favor of Scratch-only condition; however, they did not detect a significant difference in self-efficacy for programming between learners in two conditions. Qualitative analysis of interviews did not find an obviously visible difference in participants’ characteristics of self-efficacy, but there is evidence that those in the micro:bit condition provided a greater variety of examples. Hence, this may suggest that even a simple physical computing device, like micro:bit, can help learners recognize the applications of computer programming in the physical world and can increase their awareness of computer programming in daily life. The study limitations along with the improvement suggestions for future research studies were discussed.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Curriculum and Instruction

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Cicek, Yasemin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Mercier, Emma
• Israel, Maya
• Krist, Christina
• Lewis, Colleen

• Programming Self-efficacy
• Physical Computing
• Micro:bit
• Scratch
• Computing Education
• Computational Thinking

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2022 Yasemin Cicek

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/117578

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F117578