Understanding initial undergraduate expectations and identity in computing studies

ABSTRACT

There is growing appreciation of the importance of understanding the student perspective in Higher Education (HE) at both institutional and international levels. This is particularly important in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics subjects such as Computer Science (CS) and Engineering in which industry needs are high but so are student dropout rates. An important factor to consider is the management of students’ initial expectations of university study and career. This paper reports on a study of CS first-year students’ expectations across three European countries using qualitative data from student surveys and essays. Expectation is examined from both short-term (topics to be studied) and long-term (career goals) perspectives. Tackling these issues will help paint a picture of computing education through students’ eyes and explore their vision of its and their role in society. It will also help educators prepare students more effectively for university study and to improve the student experience.

KEYWORDS:

• Student expectation
• student identity
• computer science

Notes on contributors

Dr Päivi Kinnunen is a researcher at Aalto University in Finland. Her research interests relate to engineering students’ first-year experiences, dropout phenomenon and pedagogical feedback loops.

Dr Matthew Butler is a Senior Lecturer at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. His current research focus lies in improving experience for higher education students, in particular those studying first-year information technology and also those higher education students with vision impairments.

Dr Michael Morgan is a Senior Lecturer at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. His research is focused on emerging technologies and interfaces, the exploration of innovative education technologies and pedagogies, and improving the learning experience of first-year higher education students in ICT courses.

Dr Aletta Nylén is a lecturer at Uppsala University in Sweden. Her current research focus lies in development of professional competencies in computing and engineering education.

Anne-Kathrin Peters is a PhD student at Uppsala University in Sweden. Her research project is about computer science and engineering IT students’ identity development during their studies.

Dr Jane Sinclair is an Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Warwick, UK. Her areas of research are in learning technology, Computer Science education and formal methods.

Dr Sara Kalvala is an Associate Professor at the University of Warwick and first-year tutor for Computer Science. Her research interests lie in programming languages, compiler verification and formal methods.

Dr Erkki Pesonen is a Senior Lecturer at University of Eastern Finland. His research is focused on improving the learning experience of first-year higher education students studying information technology.

ORCID

Päivi Kinnunen http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8650-4925