Factors influencing students' perception of computer science
L.J. Kronstadt (TU Delft - Applied Sciences)
Marc de Vries – Mentor (TU Delft - Science Education and Communication)
Willem-Paul Brinkman – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Interactive Intelligence)
Hanno van Keulen – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Science Education and Communication)
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Abstract
In our digital society, having computer science skills is becoming imperative, yet there is a shortage of computer science professionals and teachers. This shortage is linked to the perception people have of computer science and computer science professionals. This research paper answers two questions through a mixed-method study: to what extent do 7th-grade students with dissimilar backgrounds differ in their perception of computer science?” and “which characteristics of an intervention influence students’ perception of computer science?” The first question is answered by the distribution of a survey for 7th-grade students and the second by letting a smaller group play a serious game and asking open-ended questions afterward. The quantitative results showed that students’ gender influences the perception of computer science. The qualitative results showed that the factors backstory, interaction, and easiness increased students’ interest in computer science but their intention to pursue a career in computer science remained unchanged.