Five focused strategies for increasing retention in Computer Science 1

Authors:
Tim DeClue;Jeff Kimball;Baochuan Lu;James Cain
Affiliations:
Southwest Baptist University, Bolivar, MO;Southwest Baptist University, Bolivar, MO;Southwest Baptist University, Bolivar, MO;Southwest Baptist University, Bolivar, MO
Venue:
Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges
Year:
2011

Citing 7
Cited 1

One freshman studies program which improved student retention in the first year computer science sequence for majors

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Why the high attrition rate for computer science students: some thoughts and observations

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Retaining majors through the introductory sequence

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Teaching file input/output, loops, and if-statements via a red eye reduction assignment

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Using group-based projects to improve retention of students in computer science major

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Impact of active learner involvement on achievement and retention

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Abstract

Increasing retention of students in computer science-particularly in the first course-is a frequently studied and much discussed topic in the discipline. This paper presents a multi-faceted approach which is practical and which can be generalized to small college settings. In particular, the authors describe strategies for building a sense of community among the students, increasing opportunities for programming practice and success, adopting a high-quality supporting software set, and making use of motivating assignments. As a result, 95% of students (128 of 134) who began the course in the fall semester for the years 2005--2009 persisted to the point of receiving a final grade.