HOW THE LEARNER AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERISTICS AFFECT ACHIEVEMENT IN HIGH SCHOOL: THE CASE OF ADVANCED COMPUTER SCIENCE

Fadia Nasser-Abu Alhija

Tel Aviv University, Israel, fadia@post.tau.ac.il

 

Abstract

This study aimed to model achievement in computer science in terms of learner's and learning environment characteristics. Data were collected from a random sample of 315 (28% girls) eleventh and twelfth grade students in computer science. A questionnaire was administered to all participants to collect quantitative data concerning the research variables and complementary qualitative data were obtained through interview with 15 of the participants. Results reveal that the improved structural model fits the data well and accounts for a substantial amount of variance (60.3%). The most influential variables on achievement in computer science are achievement in mathematics and self-efficacy while the effect of gender is negligible. The other variables have significant indirect effects on achievement in computer science

Keywords: Computer science, achievement, gender, self-efficacy, attitudes, classroom environment