Programming Perceptions and Computer Literacy of Students Enrÿlled in Computer-Related Curricula

A survey of 543 freshmen and 425 juniors in computer and electrical engineering (CEE), electrical engineering (EE), industrial engineering (IE), computer science (CS), information systems (IS), and computer technology (CPT) was given. Information sought focused on their self-perceptions of difficulty with, interest in, and ability to do eight separate tasks associated with computer programming. Self-perceptions of computer literacy, knowledge, and ability to use personal computers, software packages, computer systems, hardware, and computer languages were also collected. Results of the survey are presented, analyzed, and discussed by computer discipline, by gender, and by educational level. Computer engineering, computer science, information science, and computer technology juniors tended to have higher scores than IE and EE majors. Freshmen males tended to have higher computer self-perceptions than freshman women but the gender differences at the junior level were minimal. The implications for computer education, curricula design and equal gender educational opportunities in science, engineering, and technology programs also are discussed.