Results from repeated evaluation of an online tutor on introductory Computer Science

We analyzed the data collected over 7 semesters by a single Computer Science software tutor to study the differences between the sexes and races on their prior self-confidence, prior preparedness and their assessment of the tutor. We found that when there was a statistically significant difference in the prior self-confidence of male and female students, female students had lower prior self-confidence than male students, in spite of the fact that there was no significant difference in the prior preparedness of male and female students. The prior self-confidence of female students in Computer Science may be improving with increasing enrollment. Whenever there was a statistically significant difference among racial groups, positively stereotyped racial groups were better prepared and had higher prior self-confidence than the traditionally under-represented racial groups. Whenever there was a statistically significant difference between the sexes in the assessment of the tutor, female students assessed the tutor more favorably than male students. When there was a statistically significant difference between racial groups, under-represented racial groups assessed the tutor more favorably than positively stereotyped racial groups. When there was a statistically significant difference in how developer´s students assessed the tutor versus how other adopters´ students assessed it, assessment by developer´s students was more positive than that by students of other adopters.