Improving Student Achievement in Introductory Computer Science Courses Using Peer-Led Team Learning

There has been a steady decline of majors in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM majors). In an effort to improve recruitment and retention in STEM majors, an active-learning methodology—peer-led team learning (PLTL)—was implemented by the participating college in the fall of 2005. This methodology was guided by the tenets of learning theory, which holds that new knowledge can be learned in such a way that it can be transferred to other applications through designed learning environments and hands-on projects. The purpose of this quantitative simple experimental study was to examine the impact of PLTL on student achievement in computer science. Students enrolled in CSC 110-Programming I were recruited and the impact of PLTL on their achievement was assessed. PLTL methodology was infused in groups of 6 to 8 students enrolled in CSC 110-Programming I at the participating college. A survey, which addressed the effectiveness of PLTL and how it enhanced critical-thinking skills and academic achievement in students, was administered electronically via SurveyMonkey. Results were analyzed through a 1-sample t test to compare the mean for each research question using a test value of 3 and a confidence interval percentage of 95. According to the study results, there was a significant improvement in academic achievement and critical-thinking skills with the use of PLTL. Based on the survey responses, students' ability to define, analyze, and solve problems improved significantly, as did students' understanding of concepts learned through lessons and course materials. This study may lead to positive social change by informing educators about the implementation of alternative learning styles, such as PLTL , which can lead to increased numbers of students who major and graduate in the STEM majors.