Abstract:

Technology is one of the fastest-developing fields in the world, which has caused an increase in the need for labor in this field. Universities have found different ways to use MOOCs not only for teaching purposes but also to recruit students to study at the university. Our university uses programming MOOC as an admission mechanism for the computer science curriculum. Motivation is influenced by several factors - for example, environment, mental state, and previous experiences. Differences in motivation between men and women due to social norms, values​​, and past exposure to professional activities have also been investigated in previous studies. It has been found that people with prior programming experience are more motivated to learn computer science than people without experience.

This study aims to investigate the motivation of university students to enter and study on a computer science curriculum by taking into account the student's gender and the admission procedure (MOOC and nonMOOC). The data were collected from first-year computer science students for three consecutive years (from 2018 to 2020). The sample consisted of 517 persons (74% males, 26% females). The number of students who applied for study right via the programming MOOC was 109, while 408 students were admitted via other admission procedures. The MOOC group's average age was 22 (18-38). The nonMOOC group's average age was 20 (18-41). A questionnaire was used based on the expectancy-value theory to measure students' motivation and perception of studying computer science at the university. A four-factor model was used to assess the motivational aspects of learning computer science, and a five-factor model was used to investigate perceptions of learning computer science. The data was analyzed using quantitative methods.

The study revealed that differences in motivation and perceptions to study computer science occurred between different admission years but also between gender. The female students rated time spent for family, demandingness of work, and social status higher than male students. In contrast, the intrinsic value for studying computer science was rated higher by men than women. The intrinsic value and satisfaction with the choice of speciality were rated higher by the students who were admitted via programming MOOC. The students who applied via other admission procedures rated social pressure in their studies higher than students who applied through the programming MOOC. It was also found that students who participated in the 2018 survey rated the utility value of studying computer science higher than those in 2019. The demandingness of work was rated higher in 2020 than in 2019, which can also be related to features of the year 2020.

Keywords:

Informatics, motivation, students, gender, MOOC.