Description
Computer science has been stigmatized as a prestigious field that requires extraordi- nary intelligence in order to participate. If a student doesn’t perceive themselves as fitting this stigma, they are less likely to pursue the field. Quantifying perception can allow for the improvement of introductory courses and provide recommendations for curriculum. The following paper outlines methods for quantifying perception of computer science and looks at answering the following research questions: 1. How does a student’s sentiment towards and stereotype of computer science change after taking a computer science class? 2. How do these changes interact with the type of class they take, their gender, and whether or not a student decides to continue learning computer science?