Validating a Language-Independent CS1 Learning Outcomes Assessment
Jain, A., Bockmon, R., Bourke, C., & Cooper, S. · 2023
grade Dreplicationindependentmixed
Sample
Three CS1 course sections at one US institution
Population
Undergraduate CS1, US.
Design
Administered the SCS1Rv2 as a post-assessment and compared it to final grades, with item-response-theory analysis of difficulty and reliability. Small — three sections at a single institution. Read at abstract depth.
Key findings
The SCS1Rv2 is, in the authors' words, a reasonable predictor of course learning outcomes — a modest claim, made twelve years after the FCS1 first appeared. The field still does not have a settled, reliable, language-independent measure of introductory programming competence.
Genetic confound
Not applicable — instrument validation.
Replication notes
The third generation of the FCS1/SCS1 line; each generation has needed further psychometric repair, which is itself the finding.
DOI / URL
10.1145/3576882.3617910
Effects
| Outcome | Metric | Value | Measure | Timing | Vs | Horizon | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCS1Rv2 prediction of CS1 course outcomes | predictive validity | a reasonable predictor; no coefficient obtained at abstract depth | validated-instrument | post-course | none | not-applicable | domain-skill |