ERIC Number: EJ1443836
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Sep
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1360-2357
EISSN: EISSN-1573-7608
Reliability and Validity of a Single-Item Computer Science Identity Instrument
Education and Information Technologies, v29 n13 p16661-16678 2024
Student identity measures in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields are a strong predictor of future persistence in those disciplines. However, there is a paucity of studies with validated measures of students' computer science (CS) identity. The aim of the present study was to assess the reliability and validity of a proposed single-item CS identity measurement for college students ("CS-I-1") that balances practical considerations and psychometric concerns. Using data from 6,044 college students across the United States, we examined the criterion, concurrent, construct validity, as well as the reliability of a CS identity measures. We find that a single item, '"I see myself as a computer science person,"' (with a 6-point rating scale ranging from 0 = not at all to 5 = very much) is both valid and reliable as a single-item CS identity measure among U.S. college students. Being a quick and easy-to-use diagnostic tool, this measure has both practical utility and theoretical significance. We foresee its simple use in identify students with potential for pursing a CS career and for gauging the impact of CS courses and other experiences when used as a pre- and post-test measure, making it a valuable tool for assessing changes in CS identity among students.
Descriptors: Test Reliability, Test Validity, Computer Science Education, Self Concept, Measures (Individuals), STEM Education, College Students, Psychometrics, Academic Persistence
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2123/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: 202956