Understanding What Motivates High School Students to Pursue Computer Science

As computer science (CS) continues to grow in importance in K-12 education, understanding what motivates students to pursue this field is becoming increasingly vital. In a study, Dr. Aman Yadav from Michigan State University and Dr. Kristen DeBruler from Michigan Virtual studied how students’ motivation - beliefs about their abilities (self-efficacy), the perceived challenges of learning CS (cost), and the perceived value of the subject (value) -  shape their intentions to continue studying CS.

Connecting Motivation to Computer Science

When applying these concepts to computer science, it becomes clear why motivation is crucial. CS is often seen as challenging, requiring complex problem-solving skills and a significant time investment. This perception can either motivate students who see the effort as worthwhile or discourage those who find the challenge too daunting. Moreover, understanding how CS is applied in real-world careers, like data analysis, can enhance students' appreciation for its utility and relevance.

The Study: High School Students’ Experiences in Online CS Courses

The researchers focused on 44 high school students enrolled in online AP Computer Science courses, examining how self-efficacy, cost, and utility influenced their intention to continue studying CS. Here's what they found:

Self-efficacy initially appeared to be a significant factor in predicting students' intent to pursue CS. This means those who felt more capable in their CS courses were more inclined to continue. However, when other factors (cost and utility) were included in the analysis, self-efficacy’s impact diminished.

Perceived cost had a surprising effect. Students who believed that studying CS would require significant effort were actually more likely to want to continue! This finding challenges the assumption that high perceived cost always discourages engagement. It suggests that students might associate CS with a meaningful challenge worth their time and effort.

Utility value showed an unexpected negative relationship with intent to pursue CS. Students who saw a higher utility in studying CS were less likely to want to continue. One possible explanation is that students may feel the subject’s relevance but find the commitment to learning it too demanding, especially in an online setting where support and guidance might be limited.

What Does This Mean for Teaching Computer Science?

The findings highlight the complex ways in which students’ perceptions influence their motivation to study computer science. The idea that high perceived cost can increase motivation suggests that students who view CS as a challenge are willing to tackle it if they see the effort as rewarding. However, the negative relationship between utility value and intent to pursue suggests that even if students understand the importance of CS, they might need more support to overcome perceived difficulties.

For educators, these insights are essential. As more high schools introduce CS courses, especially online options, it's crucial to:

• Provide support and resources to help students overcome the challenges of studying CS, ensuring they feel capable and confident.

• Highlight the real-world applications of CS, clarifying the subject's utility and emphasizing how students can succeed despite the challenges.

To learn more and explore related research, you can read the following papers:

Lishinki, A. & Yadav, A. (2021). Self-evaluation interventions: Impact on self-efficacy and performance in introductory programming. ACM Transactions on Computing Education. DOI: 10.1145/3447378  

Lishinski, A., Yadav, A., Good, J., & Enbody, R. (2016). Learning to program: Gender differences and interactive effects of students’ motivation, goals, and self-efficacy on performance. In Proceedings of International Computing Educational Research (pp. 211-220). Melbourne, Australia: Association for Computing Machinery. DOI: 10.1145/2960310.2960328.