On the origins of programmers: Identifying predictors of success for an objects first CS1

Object-oriented programming (OOP) has made tremendous gains since its birth in the early 1960s. Since the beginning of the 1990s, many have written about the importance of introducing OOP in CS curricula. With the advent of Java, there has been considerable discussion of how to properly teach Java in introductory courses. In short, the discussion has largely dealt with the introduction of the object-oriented paradigm in CS1. Finally, in 2001, the IEEE/ACM Joint Task Force on Computing Curricula legitimized the teaching of object-oriented programming in the introductory course sequence, termed objects-first. No empirical investigations of the objects-first approach have appeared to date. This dissertation discusses the results of a systematic investigation of the objects-first CS1 course developed by the author. Further, it includes a model syllabus with class-tested examples for teaching object-oriented concepts in CS1.; The dissertation has examined predictors of success for the objects-first course and compares results with traditional imperative-first approaches. The predictors include, prior programming experience, mathematical ability, academic and psychological variables, gender, and measures of student effort. The findings show a radical difference between the predictors of success of the objects-first approach versus the imperative-first approach. Most surprising is the finding that prior programming experience is not a predictor of success. Further, cognitive and academic factors such as SAT scores and critical thinking ability offer little predictive value when compared to the other predictors of success. Student effort and comfort level were found to be the strongest predictors of success.; The dissertation reveals that the objects-first CS1 is an attractive option both for large universities and liberal arts settings as well as in the AP CS curriculum. The discussion of in-class examples serves to aid instructors new to objects-first, in teaching an objects-first CS1, for which there is a lack of pedagogical examples.