scholarly journals First Year Computer Science and IT Students' Experience of Participation in the Discipline

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne-Kathrin Peters ◽  
Anders Berglund ◽  
Anna Eckerdal ◽  
Arnold Pears
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
First Year

Wiki as a Tool of Choice for Students’ Team Assignments

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Živana Komlenov ◽  
Zoran Budimac ◽  
Zoran Putnik ◽  
Mirjana Ivanović
Keyword(s):  
Software Engineering ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Science Studies ◽  
Team Formation ◽  
Formation Mechanisms ◽  
First Year ◽  
Joint Work ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Team Projects ◽  
Collaborative Activities

This paper presents the results of the empirical research based on the experiences in using wiki as means of introducing collaborative activities in two different courses at the same time – an introductory eBusiness course for the first-year students, as well as the course in software engineering for students at the last year of Computer Science studies. Comparing and contrasting the results accomplished by these two groups of students offer interesting insights in how wiki as a tool can contribute both to the efficiency of the assignment solving process and the transparency and fairness of teamwork evaluation. Students’ opinions and feelings emerging during the work on wiki assignments and in respect to the evaluation of their joint work were also investigated. Finally, attention was paid also to the effect of the applied team formation mechanisms on the final results of team projects.

The Influence of Experience, Culture and Spatial Visualization Ability on Users' Attitudes and Anxiety Towards Computer Use

2011 ◽  
pp. 269-280
Author(s):  
Pieter Blignaut ◽  
Theo McDonald ◽  
Janse Tolmie
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
Computer Use ◽  
Computer Anxiety ◽  
Spatial Visualization ◽  
First Year ◽  
Science Students ◽  
African Students ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Two Independent Variables ◽  
Visualization Ability

The attitude towards computer-related tasks, computer anxiety, and spatial visualization ability (SVA) of a group of first-year computer science students were measured just before their study commenced. The results were analyzed empirically based on two independent variables, i.e., culture and computer experience. It was found that African and European users generally have the same attitude towards computer use. Users’ attitudes improved after experience with computer-related tasks. African students experienced significantly higher levels of computer anxiety than their European counterparts with the same amount of experience. It was also found that African users generally have a lower SVA than European users. Users with higher SVA generally have a better attitude towards working with computers and experience a lower level of computer anxiety.

Beyond course work: expanding what’s valued in computer science degree programs

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seungoh Paek ◽  
Peter Leong ◽  
Philip M. Johnson ◽  
Carleton Moore
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
Extracurricular Activities ◽  
Real World ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
First Year ◽  
Online Application ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Community Activities ◽  
Innovation Competence

PurposeAs the field of Computer Science (CS) continues to diversify and expand, the need for undergraduates to explore career possibilities and develop personalized study paths has never been greater. This reality presents a challenge for CS departments. How do the students striving to become competent professionals in an ever-changing field of study? How do they do this efficiently and effectively? This study addresses such questions by introducing RadGrad, an online application combining features of social networks, degree planners and serious games.Design/methodology/approachRadGrad application is designed to promote participation in extracurricular activities, value real-world experience and provide guidance for students planning their degrees. What follows is an exploration of how the application was designed, along with an analysis of how students used it in its first year.FindingsFindings suggest RadGrad helped students to participate in relevant community activities and take an active role in planning their degrees.Originality/valueThe paper describes the features of the application, introducing how the concept of Innovation, Competence and Experience (ICE) scores – rather than a GPAs – were used to motivate undergraduates to participate in extracurricular activities. Initial results suggest RadGrad and the concept ICE scores can be applied to any field where students are encouraged to gain real-world experience as part of their degree program. Lessons learned and future directions are discussed.

A joint first year program for computer science and information systems

1995 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-125
Author(s):  
Jan L. Harrington ◽  
Helen M. Hayes
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
First Year
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document