Analysis of Associations between Motivation and Previous Computer Science Experience, Gender, Ethnicity and Privilege as Observed in a Large Scale Survey of Middle School Students (Abstract Only)

Previous experience correlates to student retention in computer science at the secondary and undergraduate levels, it's impact in middle school is less well understood. Previous research findings from a University of Colorado large scale survey of students' conceptions of computer science have shown that there is a pervasive gender gap in middle school student confidence and interest in computer science. This study conducts a follow up investigation, analyzing data from fall 2014 to spring 2016 (n=6,128), using multiple regression analysis to investigate how student responses to motivational items concerning both confidence and interest vary by gender, previous experience with computer science, minority status, and having a computer at home (a proxy for privilege). Results show statistically significant associations (p<0.001) between the both outcomes (confidence and interest) and each of the four predictors. Gender had the largest association with each outcome. Students with previous experience with computer science also report higher confidence. This is equivalent in size to the higher confidence associated with having a computer at home and twice the higher confidence associated with being non-minority. For interest, previous experience associations were smaller but still significant. These findings imply that previous experience with computer science at the middle school level help to reduce the motivational differences by gender, privilege, and ethnicity.