Using Student Perceptions of Laboratory Work to Understand Learning and Attrition in Programming Courses

One of the most common problems faced by instructors in introductory programming courses is a high rate of student attrition. This project is an attempt to understand some of the factors that cause such high rates of attrition. Each week students were engaged in laboratory work, primarily designed to provide hands-on experience for the material being presented in the class in that week. A typical laboratory assignment starts with a student either writing a computer program in its entirety or completing a partially written program. The students then perform a series of experiments and answer related questions. Students were asked to rate the effectiveness of the lab experiences based on various criteria such as understanding the programming concepts, improvements of grades on homework and quizzes, motivation, interest, and other perceived benefits. Research findings will be discussed at the presentation