Implicit Theories and Self-Efficacy in an Introductory Programming Course

Contribution: This paper examined student effort and performance in an introductory programming course with respect to student-held implicit theories and self-efficacy. Background: Implicit theories and self-efficacy help in understanding academic success, which must be considered when developing effective learning strategies for programming. Research Questions: Are implicit theories of intelligence and programming, and programming-efficacy, related to each other and to student success in programming? Is it possible to predict student performance in a course using these constructs? Methodology: Two consecutive surveys (N = 100 and N = 81) were administered to non-CS engineering students in Isık University, Turkey. Findings: Implicit theories of programming-aptitude and programming-efficacy are interrelated and positively correlated with effort, performance, and previous failures in the course. Although it was not possible to predict student course grade the data confirms that students who believe in improvable programming aptitude have significantly higher programming efficacy, report more effort, and get higher course grades. In addition, failed students tend to associate the failure with fixed programming aptitude; repeating students favor fixed programming aptitude theory and have lower programming-efficacy, which increases the possibility of further failure.