CSExplore Evaluation

The goal of the CSExplore project is to create an application that leverages experiences and information from the RadGrad project to broaden interest in computer science from students in high school (or even middle school).

A successful app will be interesting to users, engage them with computer science content, connect them to local high tech communities and experiences, and create (or maintain) interest in pursuing computer science at the University level.

To evaluate a CSExplore app, a set of students at the high school level will be provided with a prototype to use for a limited period of time. After that, they will be interviewed to assess their perspective on the system with a series of open-ended questions.

(Note: I have revised the question list because Likert scale questions are not useful in this context. Likert scale questions are useful in a pre-test/post-test experimental design, where you are looking for a change. This is not a pre-test/post-test experimental design, so open-ended questions will produce better data.)

Example interview questions include:

Demographics: Please tell us your grade, what gender you identify with, and what school you attend.
Tell us about your interest in computer science prior to using the application.
Did you feel that the app has changed your attitude about computer science? If so, how?
Would you recommend the app to your friends? Why?
What features of the app do you like the most?
What features of the app do you think we can improve?
If you could add a feature, what would it be? (open)
Do you plan on taking any computer science courses in college?
If so, which career are you most interested in?
What is your prior experience with Computer Science (workshops, robotics, classroom lessons)?
What is the most interesting CS subject you've learned?
Are there any CS-related sites or apps that you've used besides CSExplore?
(There will be additional questions targeting specific functions in the application.)