What They Think: Students' Preconceptions of Computing

As teachers within Higher Education we know what we expect from our undergraduate students. At the start of the academic year, when the new undergraduates arrive, we have certain expectations about them; about their understanding of certain concepts and the ways in which they will approach their studies. We don't always know particularly in the current climate of the constantly changing school curriculum, what they initially expect from us, and what past experiences they are drawing upon to form these expectations. The students undoubtedly hold a variety of preconceptions about the courses they have chosen; students choose Computing modules based upon these preconceptions. This paper presents the findings of a small-scale study designed to address this issue.