Shifting Goals in Introductory and Advanced Computer Science Courses: The Effects of Gender and Major

Abstract

This Research Full Paper examines changes in computer science (CS) students' achievement goals. The types of goals students set impact other things such as self-regulation strategies and learning, and evidence indicates that the kinds of goals students set and pursue within a class shift during the course of that class. A $3 \times 2$ goal orientation framework was used to explore shifts in undergraduate CS students' goals. This study contributes to the research literature on changes in CS students' goals and extends previous work by using multiple analytic techniques to examine students in upper-level courses as well as factors that might be associated with changes in goals. Study 1 examined students in 100-level courses and Study 2 examined students in more advanced courses. The primary research questions addressed in both studies were (1) how do the goals of undergraduate CS students change during the semester? and (2) are changes in goals different for men and women or for CS majors and non-majors? Students self-reported the perceived importance of the various types of achievement goals at the beginning, middle, and end of the semester. Study 1 results indicated that on average, 100-level students' ratings of the importance of all types of goals except task/work avoidance goals changed across the semester. Individual-level analyses revealed that comparable proportions of students demonstrated increases and decreases in this type of goal, resulting in the lack of change at the group level. Some of the goal types differed according to major status, and only task approach goals showed any gender effects. Study 2 found that on average students in upper-level courses similarly demonstrated significant decreases in all approach goals and performance avoidance goals during the semester. Task/work avoidance goals again did not change significantly overall, but again comparable proportions of students demonstrated increases and decreases. Task/work avoidance goals also differed according to major status. For task approach goals, all interactions and main effects except the main effect of gender were significant. Non-major women had the lowest task approach goals and the most change, but CS-major women had the highest task approach goals and the least change. In both studies, performance avoidance goals had the greatest proportion of students demonstrating reliable change. The findings of these studies indicate that students' goals tend to become more maladaptive over time, might differ for majors and non-majors in lower-level courses, and the factors related to shifts in goals might be more complex in more advanced courses.