Teaching introduction to programming in C: comparison between students´ initial and final scores

Introduction to Programming is a fundamental university or technical college course in technical disciplines. However, it often presents a substantial challenge for the students. This paper compares the student´s scores at the end of one-semester course with the scores at the initial tests over a three-year-period. Initial questionnaire and test are solved by the students at the semester start. They consist of logical and mathematical problems as well as questions. The paper shows that the initial test scores are similar to the final ones. Statistical analysis and comparison with the students´ grades and professional preferences are also presented in the paper.