P40 - Exploring Potential Benefits and Unintended Consequences of an Early Exposure to Computer Science (EECS) Sequence Offered to Participants in a Computer Science and Mathematics Focused S-STEM Project

Program Abstract: We present findings from a research study carried out in conjunction with an NSF S-STEM project at a primarily undergraduate institution in the Pacific Northwest. Students in the project (Scholars) completed an early exposure to computer science (EECS) sequence during their first undergraduate year including two seminar courses emphasizing inquiry, collaborative problem solving, communication skill building, and exploring computer science and mathematical topics lying outside of the standard curriculum. Using an instrument aligned with social cognitive career theory, we assessed changes in Scholars’ affect over the course of their first year. Aggregating data across four cohorts, we find a statistically significant increase in Scholars’ computer science self-efficacy accompanied by a notable drop in their math related interest over the course of their first undergraduate year. Interpretations and implications will be discussed for designers of curricular and co-curricular interventions aimed at STEM undergraduates at the intersection of math and computer science.