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This article reports qualitative research, which had as subjects a group of students from a higher education course in Computer Science, with the proposal of solving an issue related to the nqueens problem, a generalization of the original problem, which consisted of having 8 queens on a chessboard, considering different positions, so that the pieces do not capture each other. The specific didactic sequence consisted of proposing a generalization whose application provides the number of diagonals to be considered for solving the problem on any n-by-n board, with n greater than 3. Based on the assumptions of Didactic Engineering, and having as main theoretical supports the Theory of Didactic Situations (TSD) and the work of Zazkis and Liljedahal on close and distant generalizations, the students developed an autonomous investigative trajectory, based on collaborations, to present acceptable solutions to the proposed problem. The results allow us to infer that the experience around solving mathematical problems is relevant as a learning resource in higher education Computer Science courses, considering a scenario of intensive use of digital technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"An Asset-Based Approach to Advancing Latina Students in STEM" is an anthology that addresses the challenges faced by Latinas in STEM fields. The book explores themes such as culture/climate, identities, and mentoring, highlighting resilience as a key factor in student success. The studies emphasize the importance of belonging and community, as well as the role of mentorship in supporting Latinas in STEM. The book aims to provide insights for researchers, educators, policymakers, and leaders in the STEM workforce to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM fields. [Extracted from the article]

Quantum computing is based on the principles of quantum mechanics, such as superposition, entanglement, measurement, and decoherence. The basic units of computation are qubits, which are abstract objects with a mathematical expression to implement the quantum mechanics principles. Alongside quantum hardware, software is a principal element for conducting quantum computing. The software consists of logic gates and quantum circuits that implement algorithms for the execution of quantum programs. Due to those characteristics, quantum computing is a paradigm that non-physics experts cannot understand. Under this new scheme for developing software, it is important to integrate a conceptual framework of the fundamentals on which quantum computing is based. In this paper, we present a kind of taxonomical view of the fundamental concepts of quantum computing and the derived concepts that integrate the emerging discipline of quantum software engineering. We performed a quasi-systematic mapping for conducting the systematic review because the objective of the review only intends to detect the fundamental concepts of quantum computing and quantum software. The results can help computer science students and professors as a starting point to address the study of this discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a call for more students to continue into computer science (CS), but as many leave their studies before completing, there is a potential in retaining students rather than focusing on recruitment alone. The retention literature proposes 'sense of belonging' as a key concept. This paper contributes with nuancing how sense of belonging is shaped differently within different spaces at the same CS study-programme, by drawing on narrative interviews and ethnographic fieldwork with BA-students, analysed through a spatial analytic lens. By applying the metaphors of a solar system and force fields, we investigate how sense of belonging was constructed within relational spaces and students' identity-negotiations within them. Three spaces are found: The study-lounge (the epicenter of the solar system), the pulsating planet, and the distant isolated planet. Conclusions show how the epicenter are enforced by teaching and learning activities, and how broadening what counts hold potential to retain students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports results from the implementation of a model of professional development (PD) to help K-5 teachers develop the knowledge and skills to teach Computer Science (CS) in classrooms of diverse students, including students with high-incidence disabilities. This article describes our Inclusive CS model of PD, how we made the PD model available to teachers during a pandemic and presents quantitative and qualitative results about the impact of the PD on teachers' knowledge, comfort, and beliefs related to teaching computer science to students. Results indicate that the teachers' knowledge, comfort, beliefs and perceptions about teaching CS to students with disabilities significantly improved. Teachers' knowledge and understanding of Universal Design for Learning for supporting students in learning about CS also improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to examine how two groups of middle school students' self-efficacy, interest, goal orientation, and prior experience related to evidence of their building upon existing ideas and code in digital artifacts they created using MIT's App Inventor, a computational practice that Brennan and Resnick (2012) identified as "reusing and remixing." Participants included 110 students in a formal computer science education course and 87 students in an after-school computing club. Data sources included a learner profile survey and participants' digital artifacts. Correlational analysis, followed by logistic regression analysis, uncovered significant relationships between self-efficacy, goal orientation, and evidence of participants' code-oriented reusing and remixing their digital artifacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the current experiences of high school students in computer science (CS) courses and the factors that motivated them to continue their future enrollment. The participants were 603 high school students in grades 9 through 12 in Indiana, all of whom enrolled in at least one CS course during the 2020-2021 academic year. This research revealed that fun and meaningful CS pedagogy, knowledgeable CS teachers, and relevance to their lives and future careers enabled high school students to hold positive experiences in their CS classes. These experiences impacted students to take additional CS courses. In addition to these positive experiences, gender and early exposure to CS emerge as predictors to pursue CS courses. The findings will carry significance for policymakers and educators offering insights to enhance and broaden students' participation and engagement in the CS course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on ethnographic methods, this study employed a community cultural wealth framework to analyze the successful trajectories of 27 Latinx engineering/computer science students at a research-intensive HSI. Our findings uncovered four types of community cultural wealth leveraged by participants—aspirational, linguistic, social, and navigational—as well as one additional form of capital: positional. The study has implications for institutions and individuals who serve Latinx students in engineering and STEM more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research question : For students enrolling in introductory computer science classes at community colleges, how did they experience the class in an emergency remote teaching environment, particularly in contrast to in-person instruction at the start of the semester? Methods : Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 students from diverse backgrounds who were enrolled in introductory computer science at a community college in California during the first semester of online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Grounded theory data analysis was conducted on the interview data. Results : Students' overall educational trajectories were largely unchanged by the shift to emergency remote teaching. However, one crucial factor in many students' learning experiences was the lack of a physical transition to the campus and a corresponding transition into a school or studying mode supported by physically gathering with other students and away from distractions at home. Experiences in the classroom were found less engaging by many, and virtual interactions were sometimes awkward. Students struggled to get individualized help from instructors and campus resources and to interact with peers. Conclusions/Contributions : Instructors and administrators in community colleges need to be aware that the loss of college campus spaces and embodied peer interactions may pose an especially large barrier to success for the population they serve. An important takeaway for instructors is that the modalities and tools employed in emergency remote teaching are experienced quite differently by different students, and that additional supports, such as videotaped classes and flexibility in due dates, can be key for students' success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a study for teaching number system in a computer arithmetic course and addresses the existing gap in the current course by focusing on the characteristics of applications. A redundant residue number system (RRNS) is an efficient and innovative number system that inherits the interesting properties of both residue number system (RNS) and redundant number systems. It breaks the operands into residues by considering a moduli-set and then signifies the residues by a redundant representation. So, by limiting the carry propagation chain inside and outside the moduli, RRNS proposes more efficient arithmetic units which could be employed in digital signal processing (DSP) applications. Despite the applicability of RRNS, there is not well-organized teaching on RRNS covering the recent achievements. Besides, there is an important question for students and researchers what is the most appropriate number representation for each application category? In this paper, we present a step-by-step education process for RRNS that includes basic concepts of RNS and the redundant number system. Then we address characteristics of different applications that RRNS is suitable to be employed for them. So, the method gives a well-organized proceeding to computer arithmetic designers and students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various studies analyze the relationship between the use of the social network Facebook and the development of collaborative learning. After carrying out a diagnostic study, the need to promote collaborative learning in university students is confirmed. The objective of the work is to develop a set of didactic activities to develop collaborative learning in the teaching-learning process of the subject Introduction to Computer Science in the Computer Science Engineering degree. In the research, due to its qualitative nature, a simple case study was defined consisting of two groups of 30 students. In coherence with the above, the hypothesis was the design and application of a set of activities on the social network Facebook, which will contribute to enhancing collaborative learning in the teachinglearning process of the subject. The results obtained corroborate the relevance of the indicators for the construction of collaborative practices online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contemporary development of education is marked by the rapid expansion of online educational applications and platforms. Consequently, it is becoming clear that teachers must consider them and in light of their changing role, know what they can offer in their field to be able to recommend them to students to get additional knowledge or even to integrate them into their teaching. As students in the field of computer science and informatics are particularly accustomed to considering online knowledge resources, we decided to investigate their perception of educational applications and platforms. Based on the analysis of the results of their testing of educational platforms and applications, we found that for them the most important is content, followed by personal preferences, reason, user experience, price, etc., and only in the last place is a certificate. The most frequent word in their research reports proved to be knowledge, which we included under the code reason, followed by research, content, time, free, variety, and quality. It also turned out that students' experience of testing educational applications and platforms is predominantly positive and has even improved over the course of the last three years, which we attribute to the effects of the Covid-19 coronavirus epidemic. The comparison of pre-pandemic and post-pandemic data also revealed that positive sentiment came to the front, while students now prioritize user experience, reason, and quality over the content and personal preferences compared to the pre-pandemic period, while they are still aware of the need for exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analogy-based learning methods map the concept being learned to a concept well understood by the learner. An analogy is primarily useful when learners do not know the topic being studied. Computer science is an area where the concepts exhibit a high level of abstraction and, hence, are hard for students to comprehend. The use of analogies in instruction can significantly reduce the cognitive load a student faces in learning abstract computer science concepts. The role of analogies in helping students learn computer science topics has not been explored adequately. This paper presents our efforts related to using analogy-based teaching in computer science. Over the last several years, we have developed extensive analogies for many advanced computer science concepts. We have used these analogies extensively in classroom teaching at our institution. We list the analogies that we have developed and used in our classroom teaching and, as illustration, discuss two analogies: one from the field of operating systems and another one in modular software design. We have also conducted experiments to evaluate the impact of using these two analogies on student learning outcomes. Our results confirm our hypothesis that analogy-based instruction techniques are effective and result in improved student learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. This paper presents research aimed at testing the mathematical self-efficacy of mathematics and computer science student teachers. The aim of the presented phase of the research was to verify the effectiveness of the chosen research instrument after translation into Czech, its applicability within the specific environment of the preparation of future teachers and the design of a shorter version of the questionnaire. Methods. 97 students of the first and second year of Bachelor's degree studies at the Faculty of Education of Charles University, specialising in mathematics and computer science, were interviewed either in a single-subject form or in combination with a second subject. Subsequently, the data was processed and evaluated using quantitative methods. Results. The results confirmed that the test, even when translated into Czech, fully met the claim of high reliability (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.965). Using the Principal Axis Factoring method with Varimax with Kaiser Normalisation in 11 iterations, convergence to the four basic components, which were characterised as Motivation and Enjoyment, Anxiety, Self-confidence and Value, was achieved. Conclusion. The research has shown that the chosen research instrument, the ATMI questionnaire, is fully functional after translation into English and use in the environment of preparation of future mathematics and science teachers. The first measurement data also confirms that attitudes towards mathematics are very different among future mathematics and science teachers. It also confirmed the assumption that the questionnaire has the potential to identify students who have problematic attitudes towards mathematics and are therefore at risk of dropping out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There have been calls to shift how engineering education researchers investigate the experiences of engineering students from racially minoritized groups. These conversations have primarily involved qualitative researchers, but an echo of equal magnitude from quantitative inquiry has been largely absent. Purpose: This paper examines the data analysis practices used in quantitative engineering education research related to broadening participation. We highlight practical issues and promising practices focused on "racial difference" during analysis. Scope/Method: We conducted a systematic literature review of methods employed by quantitative studies related to Black students participating in engineering and computer science at the undergraduate level. Person‐centered analyses and variable‐centered analyses, coined by Jack Block, were used as our categorization framework, backdropped with the principles of QuantCrit. Results: Forty‐nine studies qualified for review. Although each article involved some variable‐centered analysis, we found strategies authors used that aligned and did not align with person‐centered analyses, including forming groups based on participant attitudes and using race as a variable, respectively. We highlight person‐centered approaches as a tangible step for authors to engage meaningfully with QuantCrit in their data analysis decision‐making. Conclusions: Our findings highlight four areas of consideration for advancing quantitative data analysis in engineering education: operationalizing race and racism, sample sizes and data binning, claims with race as a variable, and promoting descriptive studies. We contend that engaging in deeper thought with these four areas in quantitative inquiry can help researchers engage with the difficult choices inherent to quantitative analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is a review of the book "Mathematical Logic through Python" by Y. A. Gonczarowski and N. Nisan. The book is aimed at computer science students but also has relevance for mathematics students. It covers propositional and first-order predicate logic, including Gödel's Completeness Theorem, using the Python programming language. The book includes programming exercises and provides additional online resources. The reviewer finds the book to be a useful addition to the library of mathematical logic textbooks and recommends it for computer science and mathematics students. [Extracted from the article]

Using Student Approaches to Learning research as a theoretical framework, the present study used both self-reported and observational log data to understand students' study approaches in a flipped classroom course amongst 143 computer science undergraduate students. Specifically, it aimed to examine: 1) to what extent students' study approaches identified by self-reported and observational log data are consistent with each other; and 2) to what extent students' academic learning outcomes differ between students who showed consistent and inconsistent study approaches by self-reported and observational log data. Using The Revised Study Process Questionnaire, students were clustered as reporting either a Deep or a Surface Study Approach. Using frequencies of students' participation in five online learning activities, they were classified as adopting either an Active or a Passive Study Approach. A 2 x 2 cross-tabulation showed a positive and moderate association between clusters of students' study approaches resulted from two types of data. Amongst students who self-reported a Deep Study Approach, the proportion of students who adopted an Active Study Approach (80.7%) was significantly higher than those who adopted a Passive Study Approach (19.3%). In contrast, of the students who self-reported a Surface Study Approach, the proportion of students who used a Passive Study Approach (51.2%) was significantly higher than those who used an Active Study Approach (48.8%). Furthermore, students who had good study approaches by both self-report and observation did not differ from students who adopted an Active study approach by observation but reported a Surface Study Approach on course grades. Likewise, there was no significant difference in terms of academic learning outcomes between those who had poor study approaches by both self-report and observation and those who adopted Passive study approach by observation but reported a Deep Study Approach. Future studies may consider incorporating some qualitative methods in order to find out possible reasons behind the inconsistencies between self-reported and observed study approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conceptual modeling is a learning task essential to students of computer science, software engineering and related programs. Construed as a complex task, surprisingly little is known about the actual act of conceptual modeling, and about modeling difficulties learners experience. Combining complementary modes of observation of learners' modeling processes, we study modeling difficulties encountered while performing a data modeling task. Using the concept of cognitive breakdown, we analyze audiovisual protocols of the individual modelers' modeling processes, recordings of their interactions with the employed modeling software tool and survey data of modelers about their perception of encountered modeling difficulties. In an exploratory study and a follow-up study, we identify eight types of modeling difficulties related to modeling entity types, generalization hierarchies, relationship types, attributes and cardinalities. The identified types of modeling difficulties contribute to a better and more complete understanding of data modeling processes intended to inform design science research on modeling assistance for data modelers at different stages of their learning and mastering of conceptual data modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet users who behave carelessly or badly increase the possibility of a security attack on the information systems they use. Although the technical security of devices is constantly improving, the human factor still represents a significant vulnerability in the system. Awareness of user misbehavior in cybersecurity allows sufficient security countermeasures to be taken. This study examines level of attitudes and awareness of university students towards cyber security. Based on quantitative research, the survey contrasts the attitudes of students in two disciplines - Computer Science and Media Studies - on a sample of 570 students. The results collected from the statistical analysis show similarities and differences in the responses of students in the two disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computational thinking (CT) has become an essential skill nowadays. For young students, CT competency is required to prepare them for future jobs. This competency can facilitate students' understanding of programming knowledge which has been a challenge for many novices pursuing a computer science degree. This study focuses on designing and implementing a virtual reality (VR) game-based application (iThinkSmart) to support CT knowledge. The study followed the design science research methodology to design, implement, and evaluate the first prototype of the VR application. An initial evaluation of the prototype was conducted with 47 computer science students from a Nigerian university who voluntarily participated in an experimental process. To determine what works and what needs to be improved in the iThinkSmart VR game-based application, two groups were randomly formed, consisting of the experimental (n = 21) and the control (n = 26) groups respectively. Our findings suggest that VR increases motivation and therefore increase students' CT skills, which contribute to knowledge regarding the affordances of VR in education and particularly provide evidence on the use of visualization of CT concepts to facilitate programming education. Furthermore, the study revealed that immersion, interaction, and engagement in a VR educational application can promote students' CT competency in higher education institutions (HEI). In addition, it was shown that students who played the iThinkSmart VR game-based application gained higher cognitive benefits, increased interest and attitude to learning CT concepts. Although further investigation is required in order to gain more insights into students learning process, this study made significant contributions in positioning CT in the HEI context and provides empirical evidence regarding the use of educational VR mini games to support students learning achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed an index for measuring the achievement of students of Computer Sciences. The index was modeled by a regression equation. Different models were developed. Their behavior was evaluated for deciding which equation leaded to more accurate forecasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global COVID-19 pandemic has had impact not just on physical health, but also on mental health, particularly among undergraduate students. Previous studies have demonstrated that Computer Science students in particular already exhibit more symptoms of anxiety and depression than the general population and students in other fields. The study aimed to measure the impact of COVID-19 on Computer Science students' mental health, by assessing the prevalence and associated factors of anxiety and depression symptoms, and the factors that most affected their well-being. An online cross-sectional survey focused on concerns and impacts of COVID-19 was designed. The Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories were used to measure the anxiety and depression symptoms. The data were anonymously collected, and analyzed using the TIBCO Statistica™ software, by non-parametric tests. 174 students (135 males; age = 21.07±2.47 years) participated in the study. The prevalence of symptoms was 36.7% for anxiety and 60.3% for depression. 81% of students reported that their well-being had been negatively affected by the pandemic, with the most reported concerns including social isolation and delay in academic progress. Correlations between anxiety and depression symptoms, strong social relationships, regular practice of physical exercise, and students' level of satisfaction with their academic program were found. This paper sheds light on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on CS students' mental health, suggests ways in which Computer Science students may be able to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, and improve their mental health during and after the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: Students do not naturally give unbiased, accurate peer assessments (PAs). Hence, giving teamwork guidelines to students can improve their cooperation, understanding of one another, PA attitude, and PA accuracy. Background: During collaborative learning, PA can improve students’ autonomy, evaluation, and communication, which often enhances their task performance and learning outcomes. However, student bias, low effort, or imprecision can bias PA. Hypothesis: This study hypothesized that teamwork guidelines can improve students’ collaboration and hence their: 1) PA accuracy and 2) attitudes toward PA. Design/Method: This comparison study examined the 447 PAs and 143 survey responses of 143 university students studying computer science in 49 teams. 58 students received teamwork guidelines and 85 students did not. PAs and teacher assessments (TAs) were analyzed with a multilevel, structural equation model, and survey responses were analyzed with a multivariate outcome, multilevel, and ordered logit regression. Findings: PAs often exceeded TAs of the same student (positive bias), especialy for low-performing students. Compared to other students, students receiving teamwork guidelines gave PAs that resembled TAs more but had a similar positive bias. The relative and absolute differences in peer and TAs (PA – TA, |PA – TA|) mostly differed across teams rather than students. Also, students receiving teamwork guidelines viewed PA as more supportive of their learning, compared to other students without the teamwork guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer Science (CS) degrees have some of the poorest continuation rates across HE. This study describes an intervention within a diverse CS student cohort to identify students who may be at risk of mathematical academic failure and the success of student mentor-led workshops in enhancing these students' mathematical ability. Diagnostic screening identified 46% (N = 92) of the cohort with low mathematical knowledge, with prior entry qualification being the only significant (p < 0.0001) reason for this gap. These identified students were invited to attend weekly mathematical workshops, with a positive correlation between attendance and attainment and females more likely to attend. The CS students were satisfied with having the mathematical workshops delivered by student mentors. In summary, this combined intervention of screening and mentor-led academic support successfully identified gaps within first-year students' mathematical knowledge, with the workshops addressing the diversity in mathematical understanding and helping reduce a prior qualification awarding gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many introductory computer science educational platforms foster student interest and facilitate student learning through the authentic incorporation of music. Although many such platforms have demonstrated promising outcomes in student engagement across diverse student populations and learning contexts, little is known about the specific ways in which music and computer science learning are uniquely combined to support student knowledge in both domains. This study looks at two different learning platforms for computer science and music (CS-plus-music), TunePad and EarSketch, which were used by middle school students during a week-long virtual summer camp. Using both platforms, students created computational music projects, which we analyzed for characteristics of music and code complexity across multiple dimensions. Students also completed surveys before and after the workshop about their perceptions of the platforms and their own backgrounds, and we interviewed some students. The results suggest that different connections between music and computing concepts emerge, as well as different progressions through the concepts themselves, depending in part on the design affordances of the application programming interface for computer music in each platform. Coupled with prior findings about the different roles each platform may play in developing situational interest for students, these findings suggest that different CS-plus-music-learning platforms can provide complementary roles that benefit and support learning and development of student interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Spring 2020, the COVID‐19 pandemic sent universities into emergency remote education. The pandemic has been disruptive but offers the opportunity to learn about ways to support students in other situations where abrupt changes to teaching and learning are necessary. Purpose/Hypothesis: We described the responses of engineering and computer science students to a series of prompts about their experiences with remote learning. Design/Method: Data about students' remote learning experiences were collected from undergraduate engineering and computer science students at four different universities through an end‐of‐semester survey. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and qualitative responses were analyzed using qualitative content analysis through the lenses of master narrative theory and sociocultural theory. Results: Student responses revealed how their individual circumstances combined to reduce motivation, create home environments detrimental to completing schoolwork, and increase stress. Many students described the negative impacts of remote learning, but some students found positive aspects of the situation. The majority of students did not indicate a change in their desire or plans to pursue engineering or computer science majors. Conclusions: There was wide variation in how students experienced the disruption to university learning during Spring 2020. Implications of this paper can help not only in cases where emergency remote learning is needed in the future but also as universities seek to return to "normal" operations in 2022 and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Augmented Reality (AR) could provide key benefits in education and create a richer user experience by increasing the motivation and engagement of the students. To this end, the current paper presents a system with three AR applications for teaching physics in the fifth and sixth grades of primary school and in the first grade of secondary school, and the ultimate goal is the development of a unified platform that covers the subject of physics in all classes of K-12 education. The platform provides a useful tool to familiarize both teachers and pupils with AR technologies, aiming to improve the learning and teaching experience and to enhance their skills. The developed system is evaluated in terms of usability, gamification and willingness of the teachers to incorporate this technology into the teaching process. A total of 314 users participated in the research, where they were divided into three user groups: (i) teachers (N = 15), (ii) pupils (N = 189) and (iii) computer science students (N = 110). The outcomes were satisfactory, revealing that the gamified AR applications are easy to use, and teachers are interested in using these AR applications in their classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]