Abstract
This study used multilevel analysis to determine the predictive value of selected intrinsic factors (gender, computer ownership, mathematics background and computer experience) and institutional type (an extrinsic factor) on undergraduates’ Self Efficacy in Java Computer Programming (SEiJCP) in South – West, Nigeria. The study adopted a correlational design. Purposive Sampling was used to select 254 computer science undergraduates from four universities (three federal-owned and one state-owned) in south-west, Nigeria. Three research questions were answered. Two research instruments namely, Computer experience scale (r = 0.84) and Java Programming Self Efficacy Scale (JPSES, r = 0.96) were used to collect data. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and null and linear growth model (LGM) procedures. The intercorrelation coefficients among the extrinsic factor, intrinsic factors and SEiJCP were moderate. Null model shows that the variations in SEiJCP accounted for by insitutional level differences was 99.0%. The fixed part of the LGM of intrinsic factors showed that only mathematical backgroung contributed significantly (p < 0.05) to the prediction of SEiJCP. The random part of the LGM showed no significant contributions of the interactions of the intrinsic factors, to the prediction of SEiJCP. About 60.0% of the student level variation in SEiJCP is explained by the differences in intrinsic factors. The institution – level variable had large predictive value on programming self efficacy. Computer science departments should increase the number of mathematics courses in their curriculum.
Highlights
Self-efficacy is an important psychological construct which requires attention in research as it influences (i) the choice of activities that an individual takes part in; (ii) the amount of effort they will expend in performing a task and (iii) how long they will persevere in the face of stressful situations in completing that task [1]
The Universities of respondents were selected based on the following criteria: (i)The university is owned by federal or state government, (ii) There is a computer science department where computer professionals are being trained, (iii) Java programming language is taught in the computer science department of the university
The computer undergraduates in the four Universities, who had been taught JAVA programming language and were willing to participate in the study formed the sample for this study
Summary
Self-efficacy is an important psychological construct which requires attention in research as it influences (i) the choice of activities that an individual takes part in; (ii) the amount of effort they will expend in performing a task and (iii) how long they will persevere in the face of stressful situations in completing that task [1]. In a similar study among engineering students in a University in south- west, Nigeria it was found that the number of years of experience in programming did not significantly predict JAVA programming self-efficacy scores [8]. The loss of individual information can have an adverse effect on the analysis and lead to distortion of relationships between variables Another option is to disaggregate the data by assigning institutional data to individual students. This study sought to use multilevel analysis to determine the extent to which selected students’ intrinsic factors (gender, computer ownership, mathematics background and computer experience) and type of institutions can predict undergraduates’ self efficacy in programming. How much of the student-level variance in SEiJCP of computer undergraduates is associated with gender, computer ownership, mathematics background and computer experience?
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