An Examination of Age, Race, and Sex as Predictors of Success in the First Programming Course
Catherine Beise, Martha Myers, Lewis VanBrackle, Neela Chevli-Saroq
The goal ofthis study was to examine correlations among age, race and sex as predictors ofsuccess in a first programming course, particularlyfor computer science and information systems majors. In addition to age, race, and sex, other possible explanatory variables considered included SAT and declared major. This research stems from concern about the declining proportion of women and minorities in the information technology (II) workforce. Dominant portals to a professional career in IT include a baccalaureate degree in either computer science and information systems. Thus, another concern motivating this research is that the majority ofthe data suggesting this decline is based solely on computer science (CS), neglecting information systems (IS) graduates. This paper reporis results from a study ofsuccess rates in the first programming course because it is ofien the first IT course interested students encounter. Considered a necessary component in standard curriculum guidelines, the first programming course often functions as a gateway to an IT career, and certainly may influence self-perceptions and attitudes about IT as a career. Statistical analysis ofthe data indicates that the proportion ofwomen is higher in IS than CS, and that CSmajors have a higherprobability ofpassing the firstprogramming course than IS majors. The results also show that neither sex nor age is a good predictor ofsuccess in the first programming class.
Catherine Beise is an associate professor in information systems and decision sciences in the Purdue School fo Business at Salisbury University. In addition to her 10+ years in academia, Dr. Beise has worked in industry and government as a systems analyst, programmer, and GSS facilitator. Her research interests include diversity in the IT workforce, implementation and facilitation of electronic support for distributed team work, project management, and on-line learning. Dr. Beise has recently published in journals such as MIS Quarterly and Communications of AIS.
Martha Myers is a professor of computer science at Kennesaw State University, where she has taught since 1990. Dr. Myers chaired the Kennesaw State's CSIS Department from 1993-2000 and returned to teaching full-time in 2001. Prior to joining the faculty at Kennesaw State, she served as vice president ofsystems for Continental Insurance Company in New Jersey and, before that, taught high school mathematics and computer science in Austin, Texas. Dr. Myers' research interests. center on career issues in information technology and pedagogical issues in higher education. Her articles have been published in Journal of Computer Information Systems, Communications of the Association of Information Systems, and Journal of International Information Management.
Lewis VanBrackle is an associate professor in the Department of Mathematics at Kennesaw State University. He has taught there for sixteen years. Prior to coming to Kennesaw State, Dr. VanBrackle worked for BellSouth in forecasting and in marketing research. His research interests are in the areas of statistical process control, quality improvement, and statistical education. Dr. VanBrackIe has published in Communications in Statistics and Statistics in Medicine.
Neela Chevli-Saroq is coordinator of Academic Computing and Support at Florida Gulf Coast University where she provides campus network support and administers web-based applications and servers used in course content and delivery. Ms. Chevli-Saroq has an MA in information resource management from Syracuse University. Previously, she has held position at Arthur Andersen, Commonwealth Edison; Lykes Bros., and the Collier County (FL) Board of County Commissioners.
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