Assessing computational thinking of college students and implications for computer science education
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to measure Computational Thinking (CT) of college students and the factors that might influence its development before and during college. This study addresses whether CT can predict a student’s readiness for a computer science (CS) program and whether CT is developed further in the program. This study uses a cross-sectional, quantitative design that measured the performance by college students (n=81) on CT-related challenges using an existing instrument purported to measure CT. The results show that CS students had higher scores than Non-CS students and that CS students’ scores increase over time in CS program. While not a validation of the Bebras challenges for measuring CT, these findings suggest a potential assessment method that can inform readiness for a college-level CS program as well as general CT skills for non-CS students.