Discipline: Computer Sciences and Information Management
Subcategory: Education
Andrew Garrett - Morehouse College
Co-Author(s): Kinnis Gosha, Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA
This research study aims to substantially benefit parents, teachers, education stakeholders, and managers of tech-based companies who face the challenge of transitioning students into computing careers. Lack of qualified CS candidates is a significant issue because the CS industry will lag in producing more effective technologies. CS is one of the driving vehicles in the advancement of today’s technology. If qualified American CS candidates do not meet the CS industry’s employment need, then more immigrants will be needed to fill these positions. In addition, without an increase in CS majors in the United States, the country’s computing technologies will trail that of countries like Japan or China; setting the U.S. at a disadvantage. The purpose of this research study serves to determine which learning platform is more effective and how effective at teaching CS to students. The findings in the research study will be made public. The research study’s data can pose as a reference in the advancements of future softwares designed to teach students CS. In addition, the more effective platform can be implemented in K-12 school to teach students CS. Some of the limitations of this study is that the sample group consists of only student from a nearby Middle School with African Americans making up over 80% of the school’s population (SchoolDigger, 2015), whereas the average african american population in Georgia public schools account for 37% (GADOE, 2016 ). Also, there is no standardized introductory CS test to administer to the sample group that measures the treatment with the most accuracy. It is presumed that Google CS First will not adequately prepare students for a standardized C++ programming test.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): Department of Education
Faculty Advisor: Abdelkrim Brania, Drew8benten@gmail.com
Role: I constructed the abstract, literature review, methodology, and the IRB proposal.