Experience Report of Monitoring the First Language Programming Discipline of the Department of Computer Science at the University of Brasília

• Maristela Holanda UnB
• Carla D. Castanho UnB
• Ian Nery Bandeira UnB
• Dilma Da Silva Texas A&M University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5753/wei.2022.223072

Abstract

Introductory programming courses are often perceived as challenging in computing and other majors. Specifically for computing students, according to the ACM report "Retention in computer undergraduate science programs in the US: Data challenges and promising interventions", the first programming course, called CS1 (Computer Science 1) in the report, can influence the student's persistence in computing majors. In this context, the University of Brasília created a new peer-mentoring program for its CS1 course (Algorithm and Computer Programming), the first programming course in UnB's computing degrees. This new program offers additional office hours on Saturdays, one-on-one scheduled office hours with peer mentors, active tracking of student engagement to identify students who may need help, and review sessions on Saturdays. This paper reports on the experience in the first edition of the program, which took place in the second half of 2020, as well as the program's impact on the pass rate of students in the course.

Keywords: monitoring, programming, computing

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