Abstract:

Every year more than 400 students begin their studies in the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology at RTU (Riga Technical University), but during the study process several students are expelled or leave themselves. As a result, only approximately half of students graduate. To improve the current situation it is important not only to increase the attractiveness of computer science education, the quality of profile subject tutoring, but also the students’ motivation to study. This article studies how the students’ motivation to study computer science can influence their study progress and determine whether the students continue their studies or not. The aim of the research is to find the main reasons that endanger the continuation of studies and the possibilities to prevent them. The study is performed based on the survey of the first year students who currently study in their third year. Within the framework of the research the answers of students who continue their studies as well as students who terminated their studies are analysed.

Keywords:

Reasons for studying, student motivation, FCSIT (the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology).