UTILIZING THE THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR TO EXAMINE COMPUTER SCIENCE STUDENTS WHO PERSIST OR DROPOUT IN THEIR FIRST INTRODUCTORY COURSE

摘要

The number of STEM graduates, especially computer science graduates, continues to decline.Extant research in the area utilizes Tinto's (1975) interactional theory of student persistence; thisresearch applies Ajzen's (1988) Theory of Planned Behavior to the persistence issue.Specifically, this research seeks to help explain why some computer science students elect tocomplete their STEM degree while others leave the major or leave the university entirely.