The FCS1: A Language Independent Assessment of CS1 Knowledge

摘要

A primary goal of many CS education projects is to determine the extent to which a given intervention lias had an impact; on student learning. However, computing lacks valid assessments for pedagogical or research purposes. Without such valid assessments, it is difficult to accurately measure student learning or establish a relationship between the instructional setting and learning outcomes. We developed the Foundational CS1 (FCS1) Assessment instrument, the first assessment instrument for introductory computer science concepts that is applicable across a variety of current pedagogies and programming languages. We applied methods from educational and psychological test development, adapting them as necessary to fit the disciplinary context. We conducted a large scale empirical study to demonstrate that pseudo-code was an appropriate mechanism for achieving programming language independence. Finally, we established the validity of the assessment using a multi-faceted argument, combining interview data, statistical analysis of results on the assessment, and CS1 exam scores.