Version 3 August 2024
To support diverse programming backgrounds in new students, the Department of Computer Science at the University of Copenhagen offers a two-week, voluntary summer kickstart course. This course prepares students for our computer science programs by bridging gaps in prior programming knowledge, ranging from no experience to proficiency. We evaluated the course by tracking three groups: one with limited experience who attended the course, one with limited experience who did not, and an experienced group who skipped the course. Findings reveal that the course boosts programming confidence and a sense of belonging, though it may initially create a social gap among non-attendees.
Research Paper:
Spikol, D., Dybdal, M., & Elmeskov, D. C. (2022). Student experiences in a university preparatory programming course. Frontiers in Computer Science, 4, 983237.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/computer-science/articles/10.3389/fcomp.2022.983237/full
